"Every man is an artist"

Joseph Beuys, a German Fluxus, happening, and efficiency artist, created the expression "Every man is an artist" as a method of revealing his broad and advanced view of art and creativity. This expression is not to be interpreted literally, recommending that everyone can paint or shape in a standard sense, however rather it underscores Beuys' belief that imagination is an intrinsic attribute of human nature, present in every individual in different kinds.

At the core of Beuys' philosophy is the idea that art is not limited to the traditional domains of painting, sculpture, or other traditional art types. Rather, he proposed a democratization of the idea of art, where artistic expression extends to all facets of life. For Beuys, imaginative potential finds its awareness not only in developing physical art but also in how individuals approach their lives, engage with community, solve problems, and even in how society is arranged and changed. Each person has the capability to mold and shape the social sphere in imaginative methods, consequently making the act of living itself an artistic procedure.

This interpretation of art as universal and participatory ties closely with Beuys' socio-political beliefs. He was a supporter of social sculpture, a principle that considers society itself as a malleable art kind. His idea was that everybody adds to the shaping and reshaping of society, akin to artists sculpting clay. In this sense, Beuys put excellent value on the role of education, communication, and active involvement in social transformation.

"Every man is an artist" is an invitation for individual empowerment and civic engagement. Beuys looked for to eliminate the barriers between the artist and the non-artist, recommending that the daily decisions and actions of people have inherent innovative power and potential. Ultimately, Beuys promoted a vision of art as an agent for personal and cumulative development, linked with the essential human capability to innovate, inspire, and rebuild the world meaningfully and artistically.