A German student has discovered the composition of Joseph Beuys’s iconic brown-hued paint Braunkreuz (brown cross), the Art Newspaper reports.  Beuys used a special rust-proofing agent in his paints, giving them their signature sheen, reports Ole Valler of the Hochschule Rhein-Waal.  “This shows his belief in the strong connection between art and everyday life. Materials have a special meaning in Beuys’s work,” says Barbara Strieder, of the Museum Schloss Moyland.  (more…)

A new book focusing on the life of Joseph Beuys is seeking to debunk the artist’s revered position in the German art canon, profiling him as intimately connected with past Nazis and Nazi sympathizers, as well as a devotee of some of the racially charged teachings of Rudolf Steiner.  Some of Beuys’ friends and co-workers have already responded: “”Beuys was a great artist” says filmmaker Oscar Roehler, “the greatest we had. But he was a big jester who made fools of people, and judging him politically would be to whittle him down.”  (more…)