Obra de arte como armadilha, ou: de como Beuys lança sua rede

Abstract

Through Alfred Gell, English anthropologist, and his abduction of agency theory based on the index character of Piercian semiotics signs - , I here make an effort to show how Joseph Beuys explores the power of agency of substances, animals and spaces, in the attempt to capture the human being for his cause, which is to build the social sculpture. Therefore it became necessary to research his theory of plasticity, in which the Artist, based on Rudolf Steiners doctrine, compares man to a plant and society to a forest. As entities functioning in a fraternal way, distributing their substances in benefit of other beings, and on the other hand being balanced and harmonious organisms, plants become the ideal paradigm for the future society that the artist aims at constructing. I also try to show how the Artist catalyses his masterpiece effect by becoming present, physically participating in his exhibitions personally; giving interviews; teaching his classes; taking part on stage plays - , as well as mentally handing out posters to his recipient and yet dialoging with Contemporaneous Art, through Marcel Duchamp and Andy Warhol. I also refer, based on Mircea Eliade and Mario Perniola, to the holy character of the Artist actions, which cosmically approaches spaces, animals and substances in his search to arouse man for his primordial link with the cosmos from where he drew apart as time went by. I close, showing that compared to a Shaman, to a new Christ and to a contemporaneos Hermes, the figure of Beuys stands out in the contemporary world full of inequities and materialistic values.