Editing Joseph Beuys (section)

===Teaching philosophy===
"The most important discussion is epistemological in character," stated Beuys, demonstrating his desire for continuous intellectual exchange. Beuys attempted to apply philosophical concepts to his pedagogical practice. Beuys's action, ''[[How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare]]'', exemplifies a performance that is especially relevant to the pedagogical field because it addresses "the difficulty of explaining things".<ref name=Ulmer/> The artist spent three hours explaining his art to a dead hare with his head covered with honey and gold leaf, and Ulmer argues not only that the honey on the head but the hare itself are models of thinking, of man embodying his ideas in forms. Contemporary movements such as performance art may be considered 'laboratories' for a new pedagogy since "research and experiment have replaced form as the guiding force".<ref name=Ulmer>Ulmer, G. (2007). ''Performance: Joseph Beuys in Joseph Beuys The Reader''. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. pp. 233–236. {{ISBN|978-0-262-63351-2}}</ref>

During an ''Artforum'' interview with [[Willoughby Sharp]] in 1969, Beuys added to his famous statement – "teaching is my greatest work of art" – that "the rest is the waste product, a demonstration. If you want to express yourself you must present something tangible. But after a while this has only the function of a historic document. Objects aren't very important any more. I want to get to the origin of matter, to the thought behind it."<ref>Sharp, W. (1969). Interview as quoted in ''Energy Plan for the Western man – Joseph Beuys in America'', compiled by [[Carin Kuoni]]. Four Walls Eight Windows, New York, 1993, p.85. {{ISBN|1-56858-007-X}}</ref> Beuys saw his role of an artist as a teacher or shaman who could guide society in a new direction.<ref>Sotheby's catalog, 1992</ref>

At the Düsseldorf Academy of Art, Beuys did not impose his artistic style or techniques on his students; in fact, he kept much of his work and exhibitions hidden from the classroom because he wanted his students to explore their own interests, ideas, and talents.<ref name="henry-moore.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.henry-moore.org/hmi-journal/homepage/view-occasional-papers/beuysto-be-a-teacher-is-my-greatest-work-of-art/page-1|title=Henry Moore Institute|access-date=23 September 2014|archive-date=22 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322142430/http://www.henry-moore.org/hmi-journal/homepage/view-occasional-papers/beuysto-be-a-teacher-is-my-greatest-work-of-art/page-1|url-status=dead}}</ref> Beuys's actions were somewhat contradictory: while he was extremely strict about certain aspects of classroom management and instruction, such as punctuality and the need for students to take draftsmanship classes, he encouraged his students to freely set their own artistic goals without having to conform to set curricula.<ref name="henry-moore.org"/> Another aspect of Beuys's pedagogy was open "ring discussions" or {{lang|de|Ringgesprache}}, where Beuys and his students discussed political and philosophical issues of the day, including the role of art, democracy, and the university in society. Some of his ideas espoused in class discussion and in his art-making included free art education for all, the discovery of creativity in everyday life, and the belief that "everyone [was] an artist."<ref>Beuys, J. (1975). [https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/beuys-jeder-mensch-ein-kunstler-ar00798 Jeder mensch ein kunstler]. tate.org.uk</ref> Beuys himself encouraged peripheral activity and all manner of expression to emerge during the course of these discussions.<ref name="henry-moore.org"/> While some of Beuys's students enjoyed the open discourse of the {{lang|de|Ringgesprache}}, others, including Palermo and Immendorf, disapproved of the classroom disorder and anarchic characteristics, eventually rejecting his methods and philosophies altogether.<ref name="henry-moore.org"/>

Beuys also advocated taking art outside of the boundaries of the (art) system and opening it up to multiple possibilities, bringing creativity into all areas of life. His nontraditional and anti-establishment pedagogical practice and philosophy made him the focus of much controversy, and to battle the policy of "restricted entry", under which only a few select students were allowed to attend art classes, he deliberately allowed students to over-enroll in his courses (Anastasia Shartin),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walkerart.org|title=Walker Art Center – Contemporary Art Museum – Minneapolis|website=www.walkerart.org}}</ref> true to his belief those who have something to teach and those who have something to learn should come together.