Article: Man of actions; Joseph Beuys, artist, environmentalist, populist and mythologiser, saw life as art. As Tate Modern mounts the first UK retrospective of his work, Hephzibah Anderson explores its significance.

Byline: HEPHZIBAH ANDERSON

Joseph Beuyswas one of the 20thcentury's most iconic artist-celebrities, rivalling Andy Warhol in fame and notoriety, perhaps even surpassing him in posthumous influence. Between 1963 and his death in 1986, he created some 50 installations, staged 70 'actions' (theatrical happenings, some lasting hours, others days) and produced enough work to fill more than 130 exhibitions. This included labour intensive 'multiples' (editions of objects mass produced mainly by Beuys himself) and 'vitrines' (his themed mini-installations enclosed within glass cases), and sculptures.

But these numbers paint barely half the picture. He was also ...

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