Tier und Sonne, pencil on paper, executed in 1947–48
For our first show in London we are lucky enough to have secured an incredible group of works by Joseph Beuys, all are completely fresh to the market and from the same Private European Collection. As one of my favourite artists it is a rare opportunity to present such a wonderful group of works by Beuys whose work has rarely been seen in London since Anthony d’Offay closed his doors in 2001. On a personal level it also means a great deal to me; from growing up in Germany where his influence was omnipresent to lecturing on him at Sotheby’s Institute and selling his works at auction he is an artist that has been ever present in my career in the art world and I have always wished that I had had the opportunity to meet him.
The Sǀ2 exhibition in London is entitled Joseph Beuys Revealed and reunites works that were primarily acquired from the legendary Galerie Alfred Schmela in Düsseldorf, which was at the centre of the German avant-garde. It hosted many of Beuys’ earliest exhibitions, including his career-defining performance How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare of 1965.
The twelve works on paper, complemented by an early bronze sculpture – the masterpiece Bett, reveal the subjects that Beuys imagined most vividly: animals, landscapes and the female figure. They evocatively express the importance of drawing for Beuys during the crucial period from 1947 to 1966, underlining the complexity of this most revered artist.