Redefining the Individual in West Germany: Spur's and Geflecht's Authorship (1957–67)

In 1960s Munich, the German art groups Spur (1957–65), which was the German section of the Situationist International, and Geflecht (1965–67) made several collective works that revolved around the political and ethical implications of artistic authorship. The tensions experienced by the members of these groups between individual autonomy and collegial decisions, freedom and collectivism carried manifold implications, artistically, socially, and politically. The shifts in their attitude are seen within broader 1950s and 1960s cultural and intellectual discourses, although they also contribute to the current debate about socially committed and cooperative forms of art practice.