Grounded in The Broad’s collection of multiples by Joseph Beuys, In Defense of Nature centres the German artist’s commitment to environmental justice. The project traces Beuys’ long history of activism, from founding alternative organisations such as the Organization for Direct Democracy to his involvement in Germany’s Green Party, and finally to his last major project, 7,000 Oaks, which involved planting 7,000 trees accompanied by stones, from 1982 to 1987. Beuys’ concept inspired 'Social Forest: Oaks of Tovaangar', a reforestation project in Los Angeles inaugurated as part of the PST ART initiative. With programs that address overlapping issues of environmental justice, reconciliation, and restoration, 'Social Forest' highlights the continued impact of 7,000 Oaks and brings new meaning to Beuys' legacy four decades later, in a vastly different landscape that equally demands repair.
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128 pages.
- 56 colour, 14 b/w ills.
- 25.4 x 20.3 cm.
Meet Joseph Beuys One of the most important artists of the 20th century, by 1962 Beuys had ceased creating objects, turning his attention to performance and sculptural experiments with nontraditional materials. F. I. U.: The Defense of Nature (F. I. U.: Difesa della Natura, 1983–85) exemplifies the way his life came to merge with his art.
