Joseph Beuys
Germany
Joseph Beuys (1921–1986), one of the most controversial artists in the international art field, was enlightened by the esoteric philosophy of the German mystic Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925). Beuys’ shamanic performances, unorthodox choice of materials, and his idea that "everyone is an artist" influenced the way people thought about art. He embraced radicalism and the concept of "social sculpture" integrated with an anarchy vision, which led him to promote an idea of expanded art, and that idea is adopted and developed by numerous artists and activists.
