How to explain pictures to a dead hare 1965dec 8, 2022589 views

The year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall , a concrete barrier that physically dived one city, while mentally dividing the whole nation. This particular structure was erected by the German Democratic Republic in to prevent its citizens from becoming exposed to fascist elements. The wall was perceived as a symbol of the ideological division expressed in global terms throughout the Cold War but was also a signifier or various social and cultural processes inaugurated by an array of young people coming from various disciplines.

When it comes to visual arts, at the approximately same period one particular character started developing into the most significant artist of the second half of the 20th century and that was Joseph Beuys. The crucial element that defined the entire practice of this notable figure, who was also an incredible lecturer and theorist, was shamanism.

Although this method was already embraced by the Modernists such as Picasso, or during the early post-war period by Jackson Pollock, it was Beuys who exploited it to the full extent. By appropriating shamanistic and psychoanalytic techniques, the artist examined natural and social sciences and plunged into a continued multidisciplinary exploration of what humanity is regarding social and political systems which inevitably tend to moderate, form, surveil and control.

One year later, he met Nam June Paik , who was already a member of the Fluxus ; the two became good friends, and Beuys naturally participated within this international movement, but only for a short since he perceived the effects of art's economic and institutional framework differently. Gradually, Beuys started operating on four fields that are constantly intersecting, spanning from traditional artworks painting, drawing, and sculpture , and new media such as performance and installations, to contributions to art theory and academia, and social and political activism.

Believing in the transformational potential of art, Beuys developed a shaman-like persona as a sort of an agenda controversial enough for criticism to be applied to relevant political subjects.

The Storting election of September signaled the end of eight years in office for of the centre-right government led by Premier Erna Solberg.

In the context of his art-making, this was expressed through a usage of unconventional sculptural materials such as fat, bee wax, felt and dead animals, while in a more philosophical and political sense Beuys proclaimed that everyone is an artist, and launched a concept of a social sculpture as an important element aimed to transform the society.

For the purposes of How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare , Beuys locked the doors of the gallery making the performance visible from the outside through a shop window. His head was covered with honey and gold leaf while explaining pictures to a dead hare positioned in his hands. The public was invited to step inside after three hours while Beuys just stood like a sculpture with the hare on his arm.

The selection of this particular mammal was affiliated with its symbolical meaning present in various myths and traditions ; for instance, in Greek mythology, the hare was related to the love goddess Aphrodite; in Christianity, it stands as a symbol of the Resurrection.