[artinfo] [Newsletter Ben] FLUXUS IN PARIS

[Ben Vautier]

Hello all,  
"Excuse me for my spelling mistakes 
I have forgotten my English "
This letter is to inform you about a Fluxus show 
of documents, works of art, quotations, and maybe a concert 
that will be 
taking place in Paris in a space called
Passage de Retz,
the adress is 
4 rue Charlot 
The directrice name
is Jacqueline Frydman 
the curator is Bernard Blistène 
the opening would be on the 13 of July 2009 
and the show will last lasting till September. 
The title of the show 
"l'été Fluxus sera chaud" 
"Fluxus summer will be hot" 
the space is not so big 
around 700 square meters plus a bar and boutique 

I hate giving out, promises I cannot keep
So here is a situation today end of March
Maybe it will change

IT IS A LONG SHORT STORY
The idea for proposing this show 
come to me during "the tas d'esprit" !
when I became conscience that 
Incredible but true !
there never had been a big fluxus show in Paris
Marcel Fleiss done a big job 
and catalogue but no big show
In the mean time I had helped to 
organize and curate 3 Fluxus shows
one in Nice museum, 
one in Benaki Museum Athens with Nicolas Feuillie
 Charles Dreyfus and Ben Patterson, 
one in Perpignan, with Charles Dreyfus 
All these show with small budget
So one day 
While I was in Paris visiting the Duchamp, 
Picabia, Man Ray show 
organised by Jean Hubert Martin
Beautiful space
I told them 
"You know Paris never game a real Fluxus show,
 why don't you do one"
 (Jacqueline Frydman) said yes and was enthusiastic
She said : the curator would be Bernard Blistène
 a very good friend with whom I had already worked
for my Marseille 'Show
and who knew a lot about Fluxus
So we started preparing it.
Group shows are too much work and stress  
so honestly I am pleased that Bernard Blistène
 is doing the job of deciding
My position is : proposing

NOW ABOUT THE SHOW 
The Retz'fluxus show is not meant 
to be a general meeting or a Festival 
that I think would  cost too much money
It is to show Parisians and tourists 
the fluxus spirit 
with works, documents etc 
and maybe a concert. 

ON THE WALLS
The space has around 5 rooms (700 square meters)
As it is the 4th show I proposed  

to put up the show with a simple 
"accrochage-organisation"systeme 
that I used in Nice and Athens and that works

1)THE ENTRANCE 
historical room with statements, 
portraits of Cage, Duchamp, Satie etc 

2)SECOND ROOM
huge documentation wall with old historical 
posters and documents from Wiesbaden to today 
some framed others on cardboard
 (I also  proposed a Fluxus East Europe wall)
 
THIRD SPACE two or three rooms 
containing Artists spaces 
with around 3 meters of wall space for each artist 
if we are around 15 to 20 
each artist would have one or two works 
in his space maybe one old one recent) 
surrounded by documents and a statement 
a quote containing the position 
of the artist towards art 
and Fluxus 
I also proposed that 
Some artists have in front of their works 
a short video showing one of their performances 
For example out of a Fluxus concert (not too much talk talk talk) 

FOURTH SPACE 
In a corner there is the possibility of a home 
projector projecting a film or a program of film
I can lend a film maybe Jonas Mekas, can lend some too

WHERE DO THE WORKS COME FROM ?
the works put up are supposed to come 
for the great majority from Caterina Gualco,
 Liugi Bonotto maybe Di Maggio
 and of my own collection as well as works 
that Bernard Blistène will find in Paris 
(Lara Vincy, Fleiss and Benamou collections)
works by Nam June Paik --Al Hansen --Joe Jones 
George Brecht--  Robert Filliou --Koepke 
Chiari  etc 
That does not exclude the possibility of you 
sending documents or works we can 
put up in the documentation room or in a mezzanine 

NOTE (FOR FLUXUS FRANCE) 
The curator Bernard Blistène 
if I understand, is trying to underline 
both the fluxus international spirit 
but also the presence of Fluxus in France 
just like Petra Stegman in her show Fluxus East 
in Europe underlined Fluxus East in Europe. 
It is important because it will permit us 
to show the works and activities of Robert Erebo, 
Robert Bozzi Filliou et George Brecht à la Cédille qui sourit, 
Serge III, Charles Dreyfus, Guillaumon etc

WHO DOES THE FINAL CHOICE ?
it is Bernard Blistene

ARE THE WORKS FOR SALE ?
Good question 
I think that the french institutions dont
 have a good collection and that they
 should buy works of artists missing 
in their Fluxus collection 
so maybe there is posibility 

NEXT PROPOSITION 
The space of the Passage de Retz
 has a big "mezzanine" second floor
I think it is possible to propose on that floor 
a "post Fluxus situation" with works of artists 
who although not historically in Fluxus 1960
posses and contain a Fluxus spirit in her works.
 That Fluxus is not a dead story
What do you think of that 
Jacques Lizène, John Armleder, etc
It is only a proposition.
 
ABOUT THE FLUXUS CONCERT
Will there be a Fluxus concert for the opening ?
I personally don't feel at ease with the idea
 proposed by Jacqueline Frydman of a Fluxus 14 Juliet ball
I personally prefer in homage to George Maciunas 
a very classical FLUXUS concert divided in two parts 
one half an hour
with pieces we called classic 
and another half-hour with
a new Fluxus pieces personal to each player 
but as would say Filliou 
why not the ball?
and  invent pieces for a fluxus popular ball ? 
For the classical Fluxes concert part "à la Maciunas" 
I would enjoy it being played by all present 
My second POSSIBILITY PROPOSITION 
would have been that 
in September as a finessing of the show 
if the one on 13 of july is too much of a popular ball (fluxus spirit) 
we give another Fluxus concert

ABOUT THOSE WHO CAN COME FOR THE CONCERT
as the  budget is small 
(Passage de Retz is a private institution)
My proposition is :
that all those who would be on the own 
in Paris or who could come for themselves  
are  invited to participate 
I specially think of Geoff Hendriks, 
who says he will be in Paris at a same time,
Ben Paterson I love his work and humour
will bring as usual his own work 
and I suppose perform a small miniature fluxus concert 
and help me with mine 
Takako if she is in Paris
Eric Andersen and his beautiful wife if they don't ask for the Ritz 
Alison Knowles if she is in Europe and 
would accept to play one or two of own great classic pieces
Charles Dreyfus because he calm the situation
 and more then Zen and also because
 he has just brought out a 30 years theses on Fluxus
Philippe Corner who remains historically 
a super non ego Wiesbaden with Ben Patterson 
Emmett'energetic wife Ann Noel
If Jean Dupuy is in Paris we need 
3 minutes of his fantastic humour
Fluxus artists (myself included) history 
and time as shown are not exempt from ego
I suppose the motto can be 
All Fluxus is Welcome if you don't cost US Money 
(but you can always phone to Valerie )

Alison Knowles
Ann Noel
Ben Paterson
Ben Vautier 
Eric Andersen
Geoff Hendricks
Jon Hendricks
Ken Freidman
Larry Miller  
Milan Knizak
Philip Corner
Yoko ono 


THE LENDING SPONSORS 
Gino Di Maggio
Caterina Gualco
Liugi Bonotto
Petra Stegman
Ben Vautier 

ABOUT THE CATALOGUE 
The catalogue is under Bernard Blistène responsibility.
A very good idea by Jacqueline Frydman 
is to make it with a box containing "fac similés"  (french words) to name reproductions (looking like the real ones)
The box with reproductions will all have the sign
 "passage de Retz 2009" on them so that they cannot 
be misunderstanding with the originals. 

NEXT QUESTION 
Fluxus is becoming a "tonneau des Danaïdes"
or like the Mayflower 
we were 10 then 20 
we are now 500 to be Fluxus today 
it would wonderful to all participate 
maybe a wall with hundreds of email statements 

WHAT WOULD BE FINE IF WE GET IT FROM YOU NOW 
if possible a DVD video showing a fluxus action or spirit  work
some historical documents or photocopies
 of theses documents (in the spirit of Fluxus)   
If the documents
if you have one, some historical documents 
or photocopies of theses documents (in the spirit of Fluxus)   
If the documents are numerous they will also 
on the wall of documentation

ABOUT PHILIPPE BRENOT 
A friend editor Philippe Brenot will be editing 
a very small book containing some of the important Fluxus
 "historical statements of Fluxus" 
i hope jon hendriks 

ABOUT BEN VAUTIER 
Talking about Ben Vautier my health is on the decline 
I am tired and loosing slowly my memory
This show like other shows I prepare is stressing me
so please dont ask me to many questions 
i am not hamet  to be isnot to be 


PS 
WHAT I WOULD LIKE FROM YOU 
a quote of yours 
concerning the Fluxus spirit
I would like to put it on the wall 
Do you have a film DVD of your Fluxus performances ? 
We could put in the video program 


PS 
It would be interesting if in july or september that some 
other Galleries Like Vincy - Air De Paris - Benamou -
 Fleiss join in to give a fluxus look to art in Paris


Of course this letter contains ONLY  propositions 
if you want more information phone to a wonderful
woman with a wonderful smile Valerie
0033-01 48 04 37 99

BEN VAUTIER 
0033 0492099307



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merci 
ben



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