“2 Sheep’s Heads,” crafted by the artist Joseph Beuys, is a Neo-Dada artwork completed between 1961 and 1975. This figurative piece, executed in oil on paper, measures 75.5 x 77.4 cm. It is part of the collection at Tate Modern in London, UK.
The artwork presents two ovine heads rendered in a monochromatic palette, with one head filled in with black oil while the other features a stark, hollow white space, creating a powerful contrast against the dark background. The left section of the paper depicts a fully rendered sheep’s head in black oil, capturing intricate details and textures. Adjacent to it is an abstract representation with an empty, cut-out white space where the second head would be, accentuating the interplay between presence and absence. The minimalistic and abstract approach, characteristic of the Neo-Dada movement, invites contemplation on duality and existence.
