Joseph Beuys and the Shamans

The interdisciplinary exhibition Joseph Beuys and the Shamans presents for the first time works by Joseph Beuys together with ethnological objects from shamanic living environments in the circumpolar, Eurasian region. In his early works, Joseph Beuys repeatedly thematised shamans and the contexts within which they operate. Somewhat later – for example, in actions – he assumed the role of the shaman himself, making use of shamanic practices. In doing so, he emphatically referred to Eurasia as a spiritual space. The theme of shamanism implies a holistic view of humankind, nature and the cosmos and – connected to this – alternative healing methods. This alternative social concept is highly appealing for a wide range of target groups.

With the exhibition, the figure of the shaman shall be used to fundamentally address for the first time a key aspect in the oeuvre and thinking of Joseph Beuys. The exhibition is relevant on two levels: It makes an important contribution to the scholarly discourse on Beuys, deepening insight into essential aspects of his work and, in addition, increases the understanding of Beuys among the general public.

Complementary to the theme of the exhibition, several contemporary artists deal with the relevance of forms of shamanism in art and society in both the Western world and the Eurasian region, not least of all against the background of existential, global issues.