Joseph Beuys – Greetings from the Eurasian
"Joseph Beuys - Honingpumpe am Arbeitsplatz, Documenta 6, 1977 Kassel", 1977
For Beuys, bees were symbolic of societal processes and organisation, and their honey represented life-enhancing energy. Joseph Beuys made Honigpumpe am Arbeitsplatz in 1977 for the Documenta 6 exhibition in Kassel. It is one of his best-known installations and the most literal application of his concept of 'social sculpture'. Two ship engines pumped two tons of diluted honey through a system of pipes. The movement of the engines also warmed up 100kg of butter. The installation was the throbbing heart of the Free International University's auditorium, where for 100 days, Beuys organised lectures, talks and discussions around themes such as creativity, progress and economics in collaboration with citizen initiatives from different countries.