born May 12, 1921, Krefeld, Ger.
died Jan. 23, 1986, Düsseldorf, W.Ger.
German avant-garde sculptor and performance artist.
He served in the German air force in World War II and later studied art in Düsseldorf (1947–51); in 1961 he was appointed professor of sculpture at its art academy. In the 1960s he worked with the international group Fluxus , whose emphasis was not on what an artist makes but on his or her personality, actions, and opinions. Beuys's most famous and controversial performance was How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare (1965), in which he walked around an art gallery with his face covered in honey and gold leaf, talking to a dead hare about human and animal consciousness. He also became known for sculptural works that utilized fat and layers of felt. He succeeded in creating a popular personal mythology and was one of the most influential artists and teachers of the later 20th century.