Joseph Beuys

Born 1921 in Krefeld, Germany; died 1986 in Düsseldorf, West Germany

From Wikipedia

Joseph Heinrich Beuys was a German artist, teacher, performance artist, and art theorist whose work reflected concepts of humanism, sociology, and anthroposophy. He is a founder of the provocative art movement known as Fluxus and was a key figure in the development of Happenings.

Beuys is known for his "extended definition of art" in which the ideas of social sculpture could potentially reshape society and politics. He frequently held open public debates on a wide range of subjects, including political, environmental, social, and long-term cultural issues.