Art &Technology
- Fluxus

One of the definitions of Fluxus is put upon a rubberstamp made by Dick Higgins:

"Fluxus is not:
- a moment in history, or
- an art movement.
Fluxus is:
- a way of doing things,
- a tradition,and,
- a way of life and death."

Dick Higgins was a composer, painter, translator and art theorist. Happenings and Fluxus, Intermedia, Something Else Press, these are a few of the terms associated with Dick Higgins. He remarks "I find I never feel quite complete unless I'm doing all the artsvisual, musical and literary. I guess that's why I developed the term 'intermedia,' to cover my works that fall conceptually between these."

Fluxus got it's name in 1962 as coined by George Maciunas one of the principal players in Fluxus. This often type of art was influenced however by many contemporary artists. Often Fluxus artists were participating in "Happenings", "Events" ,and "Activities" that sought to take things out of their normal context (e.g., words, images, fashions, sounds, rules, behaviors) and arrange or preform them in new ways. For example, such as those by Ken Friedman and Milan Knizak.

Milan Knizak: White Process. 1977

 


Stay 10 days in a white room with white furniture, white pictures, etc. Eat only white food.

Drink only white drink. Wear only white clothes. Read white books without black letters. You may also paint white pictures, make white sculptures, amuse yourself by making white things or simply playing with white things.

Make your ideas white as well.


 

Ken Friedman: Magic Trick #2. 1959

 

 

Walk on stage with a sledge hammer, an egg and a small tape recorder. Place the egg on one side of the stage. Place the tape recorder on the
opposite side of the stage. Turn the recorder on in the playback mode.
Walk back to the egg. Pick up the hammer. Raise it high. Wait 30 seconds and smash the egg. Stand and wait. After 15 seconds, the tape recorder
plays the noise of a chicken.

 

Milan Knizak: A Week. 1966

 

 


1st day - all your clothes should have same color. Also underwear.

2nd day - keep silent all day long.

3rd day - look at your naked body in a mirror for at least an hour. Do it carefully.

4th day -

5th day - sing or whistle the same tune all day long without a pause.

6th day - make a trip by train. Buy no ticket.

7th day - walk all day long aimlessly through the city. The best is alone.