Thursday 21 February 2019

Joseph Beuys - 'Homogenous infiltration for grand piano' - 1966


“The other face of art (with a deviant function – not comform with the traditional idea of beauty) at the end of this century will have a symbolism that is endlessly exacting in its deep idealism.” – Pierre Restany, ‘L’autre face de l’art’-1979



Joseph Beuys - ‘Homogenous infiltration for grand piano‘, 1966

Materialen: felt cover, a cross of red cloth, tissue - size: 100 x 152 x 240 cm
Collectie: Centre Pompidou, Paris - Musée national d'art moderne / Centre de création industrielle

This work is part of the act of ‘Infiltration Homogen für Konzertflügel action, the größte Komponist der Gegenwart ist das Contergankind’ (Homogeneous infiltration for grand piano concert, the greatest contemporary composer is the Contergan child).
This performance by Beuys took place during the Fluxus festival of 1966 at the Academy of Fine Arts in Düsseldorf. With this action Beuys wants to draw attention to the pharmaceutical scandal around ‘thalidomide’. This drug caused severe abnormalities for children of mothers who took the drug during pregnancy. The felt cover silences the grand piano. Beuys wants to show the dangers of silence. (source MHKA)

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