Joseph Beuys Quote

Creativity is not limited to people practising one of the traditional forms of art, and even in the case of artists, creativity is not confined to the exercise of their art. Each one of us has a creative potential, which is hidden by competitiveness and success-aggression. To recognize, explore and develop this potential is the task of the School. Creation – whether it be a painting, sculpture, symphony or novel – involves not merely talent, intuition, powers of imagination and application, but also the ability to shape material that could be expanded to other socially relevant spheres.

Joseph Beuys and Heinrich Böll (1972), as quoted in Joseph Beuys, exh.cat., Caroline Tisdall, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York 1979. p. 278