Die Beste Stadt für Blinde und Andere Berichte
Beuys, Joseph
Cologne. Reiner Speck / Suhrkamp Verlag. 1981
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Joseph Beuys' very rare appropriated book multiple.
From the edition limited to 24 copies (including 4 artist proofs) with the entire front cover inscribed by Beuys in black enamel with his text (see below), the final line including his signature 'Anacharsisclootsbeuys' and with Reiner Speck's stamp 'DR SPECK MULTIPLE' in the text and with Beuys' manipulated inserted length of copper wire.
The book 'Die Beste Stadt für Blinde und Andere Berichte' by Jürg Federspiel has been appropriated by Beuys, inscribing and drawing across the entire front cover in black enamel. Each copy within the edition, due to Beuys' appropriation, varies slightly, but the text inscribed by Beuys is consistent for each copy: 'The 3 energies of New Grange evolutionary warmth, forming direction, organic implosive [Beuys adds a spiral drawing here], split cell [a split oval drawing], crystalline explosive [with a diamond shape marking a cold zone]. Heute habe ich die deutsche Sprache. Ein Sprache Afrikas gemacht. Anacharsisclootsbeuys'; Anacharsis Cloots was a revolutionary born near Beuys' hometown of Kleve and Beuys has combined the two names. Finally, at the foot of the cover, book has numbered the book '5 / 20'.
As well as reproducing Beuys' sled ('Schlitten') on the cover, Jürg Federspiel's text includes a section (pp. 50 - 57) on Beuys and it is here, on pp. 50 - 51that Reiner Speck has added his stamp and Beuys has inserted the manipulated copper wire between the pages, acting as a unique sort of bookmark; also included, loosely inserted, is a single leaf with biographical text concerning Federspiel by Karl Heinz Bohrer.
'On the great stone outside the tomb of the kings at New Grange in Ireland are the carved symbols which indicate that the ancient Celts had a sophisticated knowledge of physical and spiritual energies. The 3 energies are: the spiral, organic or implosive form, the split cell, and the diamond-shaped crystalline or explosive form. Beuys interpreted this as an early example of the principles to which he referred in his Theory of Sculpture: the passage from warm, organic form (eg. liquid fat) to cold, crystalline form (eg. solid, sculpted fat)'. (Caroline Tisdall).
[Schellmann 392; see 'Beuys: We Go This Way' by Caroline Tisdall, 1998, pg. 72].
From the edition limited to 24 copies (including 4 artist proofs) with the entire front cover inscribed by Beuys in black enamel with his text (see below), the final line including his signature 'Anacharsisclootsbeuys' and with Reiner Speck's stamp 'DR SPECK MULTIPLE' in the text and with Beuys' manipulated inserted length of copper wire.
The book 'Die Beste Stadt für Blinde und Andere Berichte' by Jürg Federspiel has been appropriated by Beuys, inscribing and drawing across the entire front cover in black enamel. Each copy within the edition, due to Beuys' appropriation, varies slightly, but the text inscribed by Beuys is consistent for each copy: 'The 3 energies of New Grange evolutionary warmth, forming direction, organic implosive [Beuys adds a spiral drawing here], split cell [a split oval drawing], crystalline explosive [with a diamond shape marking a cold zone]. Heute habe ich die deutsche Sprache. Ein Sprache Afrikas gemacht. Anacharsisclootsbeuys'; Anacharsis Cloots was a revolutionary born near Beuys' hometown of Kleve and Beuys has combined the two names. Finally, at the foot of the cover, book has numbered the book '5 / 20'.
As well as reproducing Beuys' sled ('Schlitten') on the cover, Jürg Federspiel's text includes a section (pp. 50 - 57) on Beuys and it is here, on pp. 50 - 51that Reiner Speck has added his stamp and Beuys has inserted the manipulated copper wire between the pages, acting as a unique sort of bookmark; also included, loosely inserted, is a single leaf with biographical text concerning Federspiel by Karl Heinz Bohrer.
'On the great stone outside the tomb of the kings at New Grange in Ireland are the carved symbols which indicate that the ancient Celts had a sophisticated knowledge of physical and spiritual energies. The 3 energies are: the spiral, organic or implosive form, the split cell, and the diamond-shaped crystalline or explosive form. Beuys interpreted this as an early example of the principles to which he referred in his Theory of Sculpture: the passage from warm, organic form (eg. liquid fat) to cold, crystalline form (eg. solid, sculpted fat)'. (Caroline Tisdall).
[Schellmann 392; see 'Beuys: We Go This Way' by Caroline Tisdall, 1998, pg. 72].
pp. (228). 8vo. (200 x 120 x 180 mm). Original publisher's cream glossy wrappers with titles to front cover and spine in black, illustration of Beuys' sled to front cover and author photo to rear; in addition Beuys has inscribed the front cover in black ink (see below) and numbered the multiple from the edition of 20.
#43986
