Lot 504 D

The present drawing was created in the course of the edition which is enclosed:
Das Orwell-Bein - Hose für das 21. Jahrhundert. 1984
Jeans with two round holes. Approx. 103 x 76 cm.
Signed and titled (in French) on the attached label.
Proof of an edition of approx. 35 with the look of an original.
Edition Liliane et Michel Durand-Dessert, Paris. Beuys used several jeans for this edtition, as to the rest fabric and corduroy trousers. Schellmann 485

The present pencil drawing from Joseph Beuys, dated 20.12.1983 can be seen as a master drawing for his well-known multiple 'Orwell-Bein-Hose für das 21. Jahrhundert' (The Orwell Leg - Trousers for the 21st Century). With their distinct circular holes in the knee, the trousers were first worn by the artist for the performance of 'Good Morning, Mr. Orwell', broadcast together with his artist colleague Nam June Paik on New Year's Eve of 31.12.1983 in the Pompidou Centre. Made two days previously, the drawing revealed that the trousers were designed specifically for this event, and thus related to George Orwell's literary dystopias. Beuys himself said: ''This is the Orwell leg, the trousers of the 21. century. Everybody in the world should make this trousers to themselves, to struggle against world-wide materialism and repression especially on the young…look'' (Joseph Beuys, quoted from Jörg Schellmann (ed.), Joseph Beuys: Die Multiples, Munich/New York 1997, p.491). The artist however did not consider the trousers only as a sign against the prevailing materialism and oppression in the world, but also as a connection point to the anthroposophy of Rudolf Steiner, who claimed to be able to see into the future with his knees.