Joseph Beuys at 100: The Baroness Who Kept His Flame Alive
As Joseph Beuys's centenary is commemorated, the narrative of his Italian supporter, Lucrezia De Domizio Durini, underscores his vision for ecology and society. In 1971, Durini, a gallerist based in Pescara, reached out to Beuys, which led to their meeting in Naples. By October 1972, Beuys was welcomed at the Durini estate in Bolognano, where Baron Buby Durini discussed shared interests in organic farming. The Durinis financed initiatives such as the 1976 Venice Biennale installation and the 7000 Oaks project. In 1980, Beuys planted a Seychelles coconut palm on their island, and on his 63rd birthday in 1984, he planted the 'first Italian oak' in Bolognano. Durini has authored 33 books about Beuys and transformed Palazzo Durini into a private museum after her husband's passing in 1994, amassing over 30,000 photographs of him.
Key facts
- Joseph Beuys was born 100 years ago.
- Lucrezia De Domizio Durini was his key patron in Italy.
- She first contacted Beuys in 1971.
- They met in Naples at Lucio Amelio's gallery.
- Beuys first visited Bolognano in October 1972.
- The Durinis funded Beuys's 1976 Venice Biennale bus-stop installation.
- They supported the 7000 Oaks campaign in Kassel.
- Olivestone is now at Kunsthaus Zürich.
- Beuys planted a coconut palm on the Seychelles in 1980.
- He planted the 'first Italian oak' in Bolognano in 1984.
- The 'Paradise Garden' has 500 trees planted so far.
- The Ipogeo is a 1,000-square-meter underground conference center.
- Durini has written 33 books on Beuys.
- She holds over 30,000 photos of Beuys.
- Palazzo Durini opens as a private museum from May 12.
Entities
Artists
- Joseph Beuys
- Renato Guttuso
- Lucio Amelio
- Klaus Staeck
- Harald Szeemann
Institutions
- Artribune
- Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
- Kunsthaus Zürich
- Guggenheim Museum
- Castello di Rivoli
- Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte
- Biennale di Venezia
- F.I.U. (Free International University)
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Naples
- Capri
- Bolognano
- Pescara
- Abruzzo
- Düsseldorf
- Kassel
- Venice
- Turin
- Seychelles
- Switzerland
- Germany