Theatricalized installation in the pedagogical practice of the Düsseldorf Art Academy

Abstract

This article delves into the key issues of postmodern art during the 1960s to 1980s, specifically focusing on the teaching practices of the Düsseldorf State Academy of Arts. It highlights how the blurring of boundaries between different art forms and between art and reality led to the emergence and popularity of artistic actionism. This form of creativity, which incorporated elements of theatre, also paved the way for a fusion with installation art, creating a new mode of artistic expression. However, the diverse nature of installation art raises the question of terminology and the need for a unified understanding of its various designations. In this article, the term “theatricalized installation” is used to describe this form of art. It is argued that this symbolic “theatricalization” is rooted in conceptual foundations and can only be fully understood within the context of the action itself. The work of Joseph Beuys is used as an example to explore the techniques, methods, and original materials used in creating numerous art objects, including organic matter, natural stone, wood, and even elements of the artist's own attire. Beuys' art also embodies the utopian idea of an alternative “Academy in the Landscape” through symbolic imagery. This analysis incorporates iconographic and semiotic methods.