Beuys, Joseph; Paik, Nam June

Joseph Beuys
1921 (Krefeld, D)—1986 (Düsseldorf, D); 1947-54 studied sculpture at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf; as well as producing drawings, three-dimensional objects, spatial installations and actions as part of the international Fluxus movement, Beuys also devoted himself committedly to political campaigns from the 70s onwards; he coined the phrase «Social Sculpture».
Beuys is, without doubt, the most prominent contemporary German artist. His notion of «expanded art» includes the social, ecological and political role of the artist. With regard to the artistic potential of technical and electronic mass media, however, he remained sceptical.

Nam June Paik
b 1932 in Seoul. 1953--56 studies music, history, art history and philosophy at the University of Tokyo, where he writes a dissertation on Arnold Schonberg. Continues studies in Munich and Freiburg. In 1958 meets John Cage in Darmstadt and works with Karlheinz Stockhausen at the electronic music studio of Westdeutscher Rundfunk. Becomes a member of the Fluxus movement. 1963 shows the first manipulated TV sets, in Wuppertal. 1964 moves to New York and becomes the first artist to make videotapes. During the 1970s and 1980s his work is widely exhibited all over the world. 1978 appointed professor at the Kunstakademie, Düsseldorf. 1987 elected to membership of the Akademie der Künste, Berlin. Lives in New York. (USA)