“The Mystery Happens in the Main Railway Station” (Joseph Beuys) On the Anthropological Dimension of Art

In the search for an understanding of an anthropologically oriented art, this course follows up on the “expanded concept of art” (Joseph Beuys), a basic formula of existence in which conceptual designs for society and life as a whole are defined, in the sense of practical philosophy, as art.

Against this backdrop, the following central questions arise with respect to processes linking

• art and human beings
• art and science
• cultural and social practice as open performance
• art and art education.

With regard to the interplay between aesthetics and existence, a particular focus will be placed on sharpening awareness both of one’s own artistic practice and of the artistic practice (in music and dance) that is to be taught.

Required reading

HARLAN, Volker: Was ist Kunst?
Werkstattgespräch mit Joseph Beuys
Urachhaus, Stuttgart 1986