"We have a duty to show the world what we have been able to achieve in our lives with our free, creative energy." (Joseph Beuys). 12 May 2011 is the 90th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Beuys (1921-1986), one of the key figures in the artistic scenario of the last century. The Kunsthaus in Zurich is paying tribute to the German master by staging an important international event that forms an integral part of the exhibition entitled Joseph Beuys: Difesa della Natura (Joseph Beuys: Defense of Nature), curated by Lucrezia De Domizio Durini and Tobia Bezzola. This book marks the birthday of this German painter and sculptor, who was one of the most authoritative and innovative voices of post-war society. The book, almost 1,000 pages long, containing more than 200 illustrations from the historical archive of De Domizio Durini, describes the Living Sculpture which made Beuys famous, together with the historical background that is fundamental to comprehending his thinking and work. A vital tool for a better understanding of his teaching on the environment, nature and ecology. The book also recalls Beuys' decisive role in the founding of the Green movement in Germany and emphasises the on-going commitment of his output, which was geared to improving the human condition, as well as providing readers with an update on the new trends of the post-Beuys period. AUTHOR: A collector, writer and editor of many works of art, Lucrezia De Domizio Durini is Chairwoman of the Italian Free International University. In 1993, in Paris, she received an Honorary Degree in Arts and Literature from J. Lang. She is a member of the Tribunale dell Ambiente (Environment Tribunal) and her name is associated with donations of works of art by Joseph Beuys and a long list of international publications about the artist, whom she met in 1971, and on whom she is one of the world's leading experts. ILLUSTRATIONS: 350 colour *
