This research focuses on the works of Beuys and examines how the two conflicting elements, Christianity and Shamanism, coexist in his works.
The world view of Beuys comes from the anthroposophical point of view of Rudolf Steiner. According to Steiner, all phenomena of birth, rise, flourish, decline, and dissipation in the Universe are related to an organic unity and, thus, the spiritual development of human is possible through active and organic exchanges with the overall surroundings. The sculpture theory of Beuys, which is based on Steiner’s
synthetic point of view, also combines two polarities of warmth and coldness, extension and contraction, life and death. His work intends to show the internal process of formation that constantly moves and varies between the two polarities and the energy that is needed here is confirmed through materials such as fat and felt.
Beuys criticizes denominational churches and approaches Christianity from the Steiner’s evolutionary perspective. Christ now equated to a scientist is no longer the transcendental being in heaven as is conveyed in the history of church but the true nature of strength existing in the realistic human life. Therefore, the Cross of Beuys stops being the traditional symbol of Christianity but becomes the compositive sign that totally affects the human life. In other words, it becomes the true strength that moves continuously between the horizontal axis of material and the vertical axis of spirit to overcome the conflicting relation of loss and split.
To escape from the narrow-minded and rational thinking of modern people, Beuys intends to recover the shamanism of the past awakening sense and intuition of the spirit. But, Beuys’s shaman is now one step above the occult behavior of the past age and assigned the job of social reforming with the accomplishments of modern medicine, that is, receives the meaning of healer that cures diseases in individuals and the society. In particular, Beuys’s occult behavior is progressed In the consciousness, which is different from the traditional occult behavior that was progressed in an ecstatic state.
Eventually, Beuys diagnoses the materialistic 20th century as a time of serious crisis and finds the cure in Christianity and shamanism. In his perspective that combines east and west, spirit and material, primitive age and modern civilization, past and future, Christianity and shamanism look mutually contradictory but, in fact, turn out to be the true nature of the strength awakening the human spirit and soul.
And, above all, Christianity and shamanism that Beuys seeks share the same nature that endures pain and patience depending upon nobody and induces changes with only its own effort.