Beuys Don’t Cry: From Social Sculptures to Social Media

Alexander Von Lunen

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-40953-5_2

Beuys Don’t Cry: From Social Sculptures to Social Media

Alexander Von Lunen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper looks at the art and philosophy of German fluxus artist Joseph Beuys (1921–1986) and relates this to current debates in the Digital Arts and Humanities. Beuys coined a number of grassroots concepts, such as the 'social sculpture.' With this he referred to (a) the potential of art to transform society, (b) art as a social product, i.e., sculptures in which the onlookers are part of the artwork, and (c) the potential of every person to be an artist. His often misconstrued punchline of 'everyone is an artist' is an extension of Marcel Duchamps' 'Ready Made' art, in which anything can be art; i.e., what Beuys proposed was rather that 'anyone can be an artist.' This chapter looks at the similarities between Beuys' work and Social Media and Digital Humanities, in how far his concept of the 'Social Sculpture' can inform the two.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	The Digital Arts and Humanities
Subtitle of host publication	Neogeography, Social Media and Big Data Integrations and Applications
Editors	Charles Travis, Alexander Von Lünen
Publisher	Springer, Cham
Pages	23-45
Number of pages	23
Edition	1st
ISBN (Electronic)	9783319409535
ISBN (Print)	9783319409511, 9783319822259
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40953-5_2
Publication status	Published - 2 Nov 2016

Publication series

Name	Springer Geography
Publisher	Springer Cham
ISSN (Print)	2194-315X
ISSN (Electronic)	2194-3168

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-319-40953-5_2Licence: Unspecified

Cite this

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Beuys Don’t Cry : From Social Sculptures to Social Media. / Von Lunen, Alexander.

The Digital Arts and Humanities: Neogeography, Social Media and Big Data Integrations and Applications. ed. / Charles Travis; Alexander Von Lünen. 1st. ed. Springer, Cham, 2016. p. 23-45 (Springer Geography).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

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KW - History and philosophy of art

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KW - Phenomenology of space and time

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Beuys Don’t Cry: From Social Sculptures to Social Media

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Homogenic – ‘Presence’ and Digital History

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Beuys Don’t Cry: From Social Sculptures to Social Media

Abstract

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Homogenic – ‘Presence’ and Digital History

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