The life and work of Joseph Beuys (1921-1986) were greatly influenced by his personal experience of the Second World War. In his role as artist-shaman during the post-war period Beuys not only radically expanded the understanding of art in the direction of a socio-theoretical concept, but, like a therapist, also tried to re-awaken forgotten ways of perceiving and sensing, and to create an awareness of a cosmic bond through his works and actions.