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Joseph Beuys — New York Subway Poster (Creativity=Capital) (Schellmann 470)
Joseph Beuys

New York Subway Poster (Creativity=Capital) (Schellmann 470)

This 1983 lithograph and screenprint by Joseph Beuys presents the provocative equation "Creativity=Capital," a statement that challenges conventional distinctions between artistic value and economic worth while reflecting on the commodification of art in contemporary society. Created for New York subway distribution, the work democratizes Beuys' conceptual message by reaching a mass audience beyond gallery spaces, consistent with his belief in art's social and transformative potential. The limited edition of 120 prints, published by Strother/Elwood Arts, balances the work's broad accessibility with its status as a collectible artwork, embodying the very tension between creativity and capital that the piece theoretically engages.

Medium
Lithograph and screenprint in colours, 1983, signed in pencil, numbered from the edition of 120, published by Strother/Elwood Arts, New York, with their inkstamp verso, on wove paper, the full sheet printed to the edges, sheet 280 x 705mm (11 x 27 3/4in) (unframed), Condition, Related Lots, BACK TO AUCTION CATALOGUE, Andy Warhol (1928-1987) In the Bottom of My Garden: one plate (Feldman& Schellmann IV.86), Estimate: £1,500 - 2,000, Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997) after. WHAAM! (Corlett App. 7), Est

🔨 Auction Lot

Prints & Works on Paper 1500-2026

March 31, 2026

Lot 8

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About this work

Joseph Beuys, New York Subway Poster (Creativity=Capital) (Schellmann 470)

This 1983 lithograph and screenprint by Joseph Beuys presents the provocative equation "Creativity=Capital," a statement that challenges conventional distinctions between artistic value and economic worth while reflecting on the commodification of art in contemporary society. Created for New York subway distribution, the work democratizes Beuys' conceptual message by reaching a mass audience beyond gallery spaces, consistent with his belief in art's social and transformative potential. The limited edition of 120 prints, published by Strother/Elwood Arts, balances the work's broad accessibility with its status as a collectible artwork, embodying the very tension between creativity and capital that the piece theoretically engages.

Medium
Lithograph and screenprint in colours, 1983, signed in pencil, numbered from the edition of 120, published by Strother/Elwood Arts, New York, with their inkstamp verso, on wove paper, the full sheet printed to the edges, sheet 280 x 705mm (11 x 27 3/4in) (unframed), Condition, Related Lots, BACK TO AUCTION CATALOGUE, Andy Warhol (1928-1987) In the Bottom of My Garden: one plate (Feldman& Schellmann IV.86), Estimate: £1,500 - 2,000, Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997) after. WHAAM! (Corlett App. 7), Est
Seen at
Forum Auctions, London, UK

Related themes

German Artist, 20th Century, Bold, Political, Poster Art, Socio-Political Commentary, urban public art, Text-Based, Conceptual Art, typography and text-based, Lithographic Poster, Lithograph And Screenprint, utopian philosophy, Activist aesthetic, German, Colorful, Fluxus, Contemporary

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