“社会雕塑”是博伊斯一个重要概念。正因为受到哲学思想的影响，博伊斯对于艺术的思考多是形而上的。也许我们在他生前多次采访和演讲中的一些经典话语，能够理解艺术是如何雕塑社会的。
在很多方面，人都不是自由的。从社会环境来说，人是相互依赖的，但是思维是自由的，这也是雕塑的起始点。对我来说，思想的生成就已经是社会雕塑了。思想就是雕塑。
Man is really not freeing many aspects. He is dependent on his social circumstances， but he is free in his thinking， and here is the point of origin of sculpture. For me the formation of the thought is already sculpture. The thought is sculpture.
1969年接受Willoughby Sharp采访时所说。
我的那些物品可以看做是雕塑概念或艺术转化的刺激物。这些物品能激发什么是雕塑的思考，以及延展至看不见的物质如何塑造。思考方式——我们如何形成我们的想法，或者说话方式——我们如何将我们的想法变成语言，或者社会雕塑——我们如何形成和塑造我们生活的世界：雕塑是一种革命过程；人人都是艺术家。
My objects are to be seen as stimulants for the transformation of the idea of sculpture… …or of art in general. They should provoke thoughts about what sculpture can be and how the concept of sculpting can be extended to the invisible materials used by everyone. THINKING FORMS- how we mold our thoughts or SPOKEN FORMS-how we shape our thoughts into words or SOCIAL SCULPTURE-how we mold and shape the world in which we live: SCULPTURE AS AN EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS; EVERYONE AN ARTIST.
1969年接受Willoughby Sharp采访时所说。
这类艺术学校，在我看来是最不重要的。精神构建是必须的。作为一个艺术家，他能使用最原始的工具创作，一把烂刀就足够。否则，就只是一所技艺学校。
This kind of art school (The Art School of Chicago where Beuys gave this lecture) is for me the least important. A spiritual structure is needed. If a person is an artist he can use the most primitive of instruments a broken knife is enough. Otherwise it remains a craft school.
1974年，博伊斯在芝加哥艺术学院演讲谈到艺术学校结构。
只有艺术让生命变得可能——这是我从根本上所要阐释的。我想说的是如果没有艺术，生理学概念上的人真是不可思议。我想说的是，人并非仅仅由一系列化学过程所组成，也是有形而上的。只有当人意识到自己是有创造力、有艺术性时，人才是真正有生命力的……甚至连削土豆皮这样的行为也能成为一个艺术作品，只要是有意识的行为。
Art alone makes life possible-this is how radically I should like to formulate it. I would say that without art man is inconceivable in physiological terms……I would say man does not consist only of chemical processes， but also of metaphysical occurrences. The provocateur of the chemical processes is located outside the world. Man is only truly alive when he realizes he is a creative， artistic being……Even the act of peeling a potato can be a work of art if it is a conscious act.
1969年，接受Willoughby Sharp采访时所说。
我不是一个教学生只去思考的老师。我会说：行动；我会问结果：去做些事情。也许会有不同的形式，也许是声音的形式，或者是一本书，一幅画又或者雕塑。我不介意。
I am not a teacher who tells his students only to think. I say: act; do something: I ask for result. It may take different forms. It can have the form of sound， or someone can do a book， make a drawing or a sculpture. I don’t care……
1969年接受Willoughby Sharp采访时所说。
在我死后，我希望人们会说：“博伊斯理解历史形势。他改变了事情的进展”，我希望是朝着一个正确的方向。
After I am dead I would like people to say: 'Beuys understood the historical situation. He altered the course of events'. I hope in the right direction.
1969年接受Willoughby Sharp采访时所说。
通过油脂或泥土来做雕塑，我唤醒了某些东西。我点燃了心中的思想-完全原创的、完全新、历史上从未存在过的一种思想，即便是有关于历史事实或者达·芬奇、伦勃朗。我自己决定历史，并非历史决定我。
By making a sculpture with fat or a piece of clay I evoke something. I ignite a thought within me - a totally original， totally new thought that has never yet existed in history， even if I deal with a historical fact or with Leonardo or Rembrandt. I myself determine history - it is not history that determines me.
1969年接受Willoughby Sharp采访时所说。
自我必须要发展，并非为了自己，而是因为社会需要。如果你只是对自我实现感兴趣，你不会画出一幅好画。你需要思考如何形成，思考想法是如何从历史中形成的。
The ego must be developed， not for its own sake， but because it is needed by society. If you are only interested in self-realization then you cannot make a good painting. To do this you have to have thought about forming， and about how ideas of forming stem from history.
1974年，博伊斯在芝加哥艺术学院演讲谈到自我。
在类似大学这样的地方，每个人讲话都太过理性，有必要出现一类像巫师的人。
In places like universities， where everyone talks too rationally， it is necessary for a kind of enchanter to appear.
