BEUYS 50 Years Later

On the 18th November 1974, the German artist Joseph Beuys gave a performance lecture, or ‘Action’, in the Ulster Museum Fine Art Gallery. As was his practice, he illustrated the lecture on blackboards that have been in the museum’s collection since that day.

Beuys proposed the idea of art and creativity being at the centre of all aspects of society. Presenting this as his concept of ‘social sculpture’ and inciting the potential for mass societal change through creative thinking.

The lecture became a key moment in the history of Belfast art. This exhibition takes the opportunity to look at the ideas discussed and their impact on the creative community of Belfast over the last 50 years.

In order to bring these ideas into the present the museum has worked with current practising Belfast-based artists. Taking the two primary focuses at the heart of Beuys work – performance and drawing.

What to see in the 'BEUYS 50 Years Later' exhibition:

In our 'BEUYS 50 Years Later' exhibition, you can see the same blackboards that Beuys used in his Ulster Museum lecture, newly framed and glazed by our Conservation team. Listen to audio extracts from the lecture as you learn about the artist Beuys and the impact on Belfast at that time. This is chance to delve into the history of performance in Belfast.

There will be a series of film works showcased throughout the exhibition relating to Beuys and performance in Belfast The first film is Amanda Coogan’s ‘Gnawing on the bones - Reflections on Beuys’ (2022) (kindly on loan from the artist).

During the exhibition preparation, artist Sally O'Dowd (supported by ACNI) worked closely with the curator to select drawings that connect the themes in Beuys' work to her own practise. You can see these drawings as part of the exhibition, alongside the opportunity to participate through Sally's 'Drawing Machine'.