The end of the twentieth century

Mediums: basalt.
Location: The Museum of Modernity Hamburger Bahnhof National Gallery of Germany (Berlin).

The monumental installation of elongated basalt blocks scattered in disorder seems to be the result of a universal cataclysm or the work of a mythical giant. Preaching “social sculpture”, the author shows self-destruction and thoughtlessly dangerous inaction of humanity. According to Beuys, the demonstration of historical pessimism should teach society (contemporaries and descendants) not only to interact with nature but to heal people. The work can be considered a reminder of the Second World War and a reference to the sculptural and environmental large-scale action “7000 Oaks”. It was held a year earlier as a part of the “Documenta exhibition”: it was possible to move heavy basalt stones by planting a tree. As a result, 5500 oaks, each with a basalt stele, were planted in Kassel during the Beuys’ lifetime. His son Wenzel planted the last tree during the “Documenta-8” in 1987. “A tree plus stone” pairs are in today’s city landscape of Kassel.