BASTIAN is pleased to present Joseph Beuys: Important Sculptures from the 1950s, running from 20 September – 16 November 2019. Exhibited for the first time in the UK, five unique sculptures from the 1950s by Beuys are shown alongside documentary photographs, offering a rare opportunity to discover significant early works of one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.

Presenting work from the time when Beuys had just found his own artistic language based on a deep comprehension of the inner logic of mythology, the exhibition bears witness to the artist’s constant use of mythical references to understand an old spiritual world and its role in modern life. In his drawings and sculptures Beuys documented his ‘leitmotiv’, the path of transformation from ‘nature to culture’ in our civilization. A wanderer between worlds, he became an artist/anthropologist, a shaman interested in natural phenomena, psychological processes and archetypal early-Christian motifs. In his visions, he imagined a modern world that would recognize the importance of our ancient spiritual spheres, as visible in the language of his work.

Find below a short gallery clip of our current Joseph Beuys: Important Sculptures from the 1950’s exhibition.

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Stockfish, newspaper, oil paint, needles Hammer: Wood, glass, cord, oil paint 26.5 x 11.5 x 4.5 cm / 10.4 x 4.5 x 1.8 in.

Wood 38 x 16 cm /15 x 6.3 in. Mounted in zinc case: 62 x 7 x 48.4 x 5 cm / 24.7 x 19.1 x 2 in.

Slate, engraving, watercolour 39.5 x 50.5 x 3 cm / 15.6 x 19.9 x 1.2 in.