Terremoto
Terremoto, meaning earthquake in Italian, directly refers to a November 23, 1980 earthquake in the mountains above Naples, destroying the city. Beuys, along with other artists, were invited to create works to commemorate the event and the lives lost. This particular piece, held at the Guggenheim museum, also represents Beuys political belief for independence of this area of Naples from Italy. The piece consists of an old typesetting machine, which was once used to print the newsletter of a leftist political party. Sitting up against the machine is an Italian flag, covered with felt. Manifestos calling for political action are glued to the machine, as well as black skulls, most likely representing the dead from the quake.
