Das Kupferstich-Kabinett

In collaboration with the Menil Collection in Houston, USA, the Kupferstich-Kabinett of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (SKD) is holding an exhibition dedicated to the drawing oeuvre of Joseph Beuys. The 110 works on display come primarily from the Bastian Collection, which Aeneas Bastian provided to the SKD on long-term loan in 2020. The collection spans the artist’s entire creative period from 1945 to 1985, offering a unique opportunity to explore the depth, complexity, and enduring vitality of his work as a draughtsman.

The exhibition traces the artistic development of Joseph Beuys in five sections. Influenced by Wilhelm Lehmbruck and Ewald Mataré, Beuys began his career as a sculptor; however, he was also a significant graphic artist. While his early drawings often featured botanical collages, in later years he increasingly incorporated substances that alter the very material upon which they are applied. In his works, these substances become independent agents—reacting, dissipating, or evaporating. The result transcends conventional notions of works on paper and blurs the boundary between sculpture and drawing.

‘I am a Transmitter’ is the title of the exhibition (23.10.2026–17.01.2027) and of the English-language catalogue. It was Joseph Beuys himself who described himself in this way: ‘I am a transmitter; I radiate’ (German original: ‘Ich bin ein Sender, ich strahle aus.’) Transmitters convey messages by converting and relaying physical or electrical signals. Such transformations – the fundamental shift from one state to a completely different one, processes that are found in chemistry and alchemy – play a central role in the artist’s work. This is clearly evident in his works on paper. Like a sculptor, Beuys manipulates the material, thereby altering its structure and form: when soaked in paint, it becomes wavy; grease penetrates it, forming stains; and added found objects – often made of simple, ‘humble’ materials – lend a sheet of paper a sculptural quality. The outcome of these transformations was not necessarily predictable, which was Beuys’s intention, as he preferred the volatile and the ephemeral to rigid predefinitions. This fluid approach to working characterises his drawings.

The exhibition at the Kupferstich-Kabinett aims to shed light on the creative process behind the works. In preparation for the exhibition, each sheet was examined with regard to its material composition. In some cases, it was possible to precisely identify the substances used by Beuys and, for certain works, to reconstruct the order in which he applied them.

Significant examples of the artist’s approach include, for example, the work ‘Entwurf, Bronzestuhl mit Hirschfüßen’ (Design, Bronze Chair with Deer’s Hooves). Here, Joseph Beuys used ferric chloride, a salt commonly used in etching, which stains strongly, reacts intensely, and causes the paper to warp. In ‘Für Braunräume’ (For Brown Spaces), the artist employed his ‘Braunkreuz’ (Brown Cross) paint – more of a substance than a paint: earthy, almost dried out, highly opaque, and of central importance to the artist. For him, it was the elemental matter, in which primordial red merges with the brown of the earth.

It is not only the detailed analysis of the materiality of the drawings themselves, but also the specific way in which these works have been brought together that provides important insights: as a friend and colleague, Heiner Bastian – Aeneas’s father – was in constant contact with Joseph Beuys, which lends the family collection a unique integrity and exceptional internal coherence.

For the artist, drawings were also forms of thought: through the medium of drawing he recorded ideas and concepts, took notes, visualised lectures, performative actions (Aktionen), and philosophical theses, traced the path of thought into form, and developed sculptures. These processes become tangible in the exhibition.

During the 2026/27 winter semester, a collaborative project with the Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design in Halle will explore how artists today view Beuys and interpret his work. From 6 to 17 January 2027, the resulting students’ work will be exhibited in the study room of the Kupferstich-Kabinett.

The exhibition is complemented by a varied programme of accompanying events. Throughout the duration of the exhibition, there will be a range of talks, curator-led tours and, each month, several discussions with ‘transformers’ in the exhibition. Visitors can also look forward to events exploring aspects of mental health through the lens of Beuys’ work, including a discussion with a psychotherapist or a professor of art therapy.

The exhibition is accompanied by an English-language catalogue entitled ‘I am a Transmitter. The Drawing of Joseph Beuys’ published by Yale University Press, edited by the Menil Collection and the Kupferstich-Kabinett of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, 244 pages, € 48 in the exhibition and € 60 in bookshops, ISBN: 978-0-300-28653-3. 

The exhibition will be on show in the Menil Collection, Houston, Texas, USA from 26 March to 11 July 2027. 

further information

Duration
23 October 2026 to 17 January 2027

Opening hours
Daily 10 am to 5 pm, closed on Tuesdays

Admission 

Ticket for Kupferstich-Kabinett: regular € 6, concessions € 4.50, groups (of 10 or more persons) € 5.50 per person
Ticket for the whole Residenzschloss: regular € 18, concessions € 13.50, pre-school children free of charge, school students up to the age of 20 € 2, groups (of 10 or more persons) € 16 per person.