In 1962 Beuys was introduced to George Maciunas, the "ringleader" of Fluxus, by Nam June Paik. The following year Beuys invited Maciunas to stage a Fluxus concert at the Düsseldorf Academy of Art. Thus began a lifelong acquaintance characterized, at turns, by mutual affection, respect, and rivalry. For both Beuys and Maciunas, the connotations of the word Fluxus referred to the fluidity between media, and by extension, between art and life. But there were significant differences in their interpretations of these concepts, and divergences in the ways they thought art should carry this forward. While Beuys considered himself a lifetime "member" of Fluxus, inspired by its radical approach to art, he was also critical of its limited vision. Ultimately, Beuys was indebted to Fluxus, for it gained him exposure to a community of artists who were engaged with expanding the limits of art, and eventually, to the international art world.

Beuys' introduction to Fluxus marked a significant shift in his early career, coming at a time when he had begun to question his academic training and to explore less traditional materials and means in making sculpture. Fluxus offered Beuys an expanded concept of art that allowed him to proceed beyond traditional art forms. Although he had been integrating alternative materials into his graphic and sculptural works for years, he had not made the radical break with traditional practice that would occur after his encounter with Fluxus events. Moreover, because performance would become a paradigmatic medium for Beuys, and arguably, it is the creative venue for which he is best known, Beuys' contact with Fluxus in the early 1960s was of monumental significance.