[artinfo] FLUXED UP

[Tamas St.Auby]

Sie sind herzlich eingeladen! You are cordially invited! 
FLUXED UP

PERFORMANCES + ERÖFFNUNG FREI 21. OKT | 20.00 UHR
PERFORMANCES + OPENING FRI 21 OCT | 8 PM

SCHAU FENSTER | Schauraum für Kunst | Lobeckstr. 30-35 | 10969 Berlin
Eintritt frei
free admission

Eric Andersen: THE IDLE WALK
IPUT (superintendent: Tamas St.Turba): OCCURRENCE
Ben Patterson: FLUXUS ELEGY /  PAPER PIECE
Willem de Ridder: FLUTE CONCERT / MANIPULATION EVENT

DJ: Thomas Praus

Die Performances und Ausstellung findet statt in Verbindung mit der Konferenz FLUXUS HEUTE, zu Gast in der Akademie der Künste, Hanseatenweg, 21. und 22. Oktober 2011.
Performances and exhibition take place within the framework of the conference FLUXUS TODAY, talking place in Akademie der Künste, Hanseatenweg, 21 and 22 October 2011.
Kuratiert von / curated by: Petra Stegmann
Weitere Informationen unter: For further information:
www.thelunaticsareontheloose.tumblr.com
www.dieirrensindlos.tumblr.com

SCHAU FENSTER. Schauraum für Kunst:
www.party-arty.de

*****
RECENT ARTISTS' STATEMENTS
ERIC ANDERSEN | COPENHAGEN
Fluxus is probably the phenomenon in the art world of the 20th century that historians and other scholars have the most difficulty grasping. The reasons range from a simple lack of will to downright laziness. Although the contribution to the debate by many artists may have been by way of droll misleading comments, we have never shirked from clarifying the issue, if and when interest was shown. For the most part, though, historians suppose that living artists are just out to make trouble. Most art historians and mainstream curators continuously try to persuade the public that Fluxus was a movement, albeit an art movement, an all-out American affair. When these frenzied grumblings are connected to large economic interests one can into the bargain often find such a peculiar designation as Fluxism. But this is pure rubbish. Fluxus emerged almost as a creation to the sad truth that art for more than two hundred years found its classification within 'isms' and was resigned to being reduced to stereotyped personal expression. Fluxus stood in complete contrast to this world and became at least two incompatible entities. It was one thing in Europe in the years 1962 and 1963 and later something entirely different in the USA, at the time George Maciunas, without any tremendous success, attempted to transform the lot into one form and one strategy.
 
BEN PATTERSON | WIESBADEN
BRING HAMMER AND NAILS.
It’s coming!  Like it or not, the 50th anniversary of Fluxus will be celebrated. And it is my hope that these celebrations will be the final „nails in the coffin“ of „institutional Fluxus“!
Poor Fluxus,…its very success sowed the seeds for its degeneration.  What began as a radically experimental, free-wheeling, undefinable and un-named mix – an open exploratory spirit,  rather than a defined genre of marketable goods - has become the victim of vested interests, jealousies and dogmatic „turf wars“ about „what is“ and „who owns“ the REAL definition of Fluxus. And only with a REAL definition can Fluxus be neatly catalogued, exhibited in a museum, capsulized in a chapter of art history and/or assigned values (cultural or monetary)…in other words, „be institutionalized“.

I believe it was Emmett Williams, who once said: „If you can define it, it ain’t Fluxus!“
And ironically, it was „Chairman George“ who first tried to define and control this wild  river, called Fluxus, with his purges and excommunications in the mid-1960s.
So, what is my problem with a REAL definition of Fluxus?  Simply,  the act of defining already set limits on any quest of exploration or experimentation…quests that have been the life-blood of Fluxus - past, present and future.  It stiffles experimentation with invisible threats of exclusion.  Explorations leading in new directions might not pass an  „institutionally defined“ test of what is or is not Fluxus.  In the end „institutionalized Fluxus“ leads directly to „fossilized Fluxus“.
So, let us celebrate this endangered creature, called Fluxus, by hammering in the final nails, closing the chapter on definitions and opening/fluxing our minds to those new territories still waiting to be explored. The spirit of Fluxus existed long before G.M. and 1962.  Now, it is our duty to get out of the way and let this lively spirit go about its business for a few more eons.
Ben Patterson
September 5, 2011
Wiesbaden
 
WILLEM DE RIDDER | AMSTERDAM
From the moment that Nam June Paik told me "You are Fluxus", I got for the first time in touch with many people, all over the world, who (just like me) were playing with life itself. Already years before I stepped out of art, because (for me) it was based on an ancient authority, trying to control our lives with rules and regulations. They decided who was important enough to be allowed in their palaces (which they called museums, theaters or concerthalls). When I was a teenager I decided already to keep playing instead of starting a career. I wanted to discover unknown territories and go into a world beyond thinking and understanding. For the first time I met Fluxpeople who threw all media on one big heap and started playing with them in a completely different way than was allowed. It was like a big endless party where we could do whatever came up at that moment. Great Flux Events where regularly made up right at the spot. For the first time we could stream again, allow a flood to come up, keep changing, melt, have flux-diarrhea on stage and enjoy it just like we did in the beginning of our life, because when we were born, we didn't think yet. Life was completely interesting. We disappeared completely in whatever happened and there was never a dull moment, until our parents and other authorities teached us how to think, how to behave, how to be normal, intelligent, good, strong, interesting, a winner, etc. etc. and that we will be judged as stupid, ridiculous and a loser if we dared to deviate from the allowed behavior. All over Europe I got involved in Fluxus-parties which were called happenings, events, performances or even concerts, where all the rules and regulations were laughed at. Enthusiasticly I started organizing big flux concerts in the Netherlands and George Maciunas decided to make me chairman for Northern Europe. He gave me many Flux works for the European Mail Order Warehouse. In the beginning the press and the artworld ignored Fluxus most of the time or judged it as ridiculous. I loved it. When later the art popes got interested, I was a litttle disappointed. Fluxus used to be a party, alas it became art. That's why I started with friends in 1965 a newspaper in which everybody could publish whatever they wanted. A real flux-project that became quite popular in Holland. We even started clubs where everybody could jump on stage and do whatever they wanted. Real Fluxus, but we didn't use the name at all. Fluxus has inspired me always and many more people even in the art world. Conceptual art, video art, multi media and other developments all stem from Fluxus. The young generation now plays with daily life as material by changing it completely instead of making paintings or video art. I even started using museums as material by organizing illegal exhibitions without their permission. Many visitors walked with headphones through their buildings, discovering all my illegal works, having a great time. I am very grateful, because all the fluxists have inspired me tremendously. Although Fluxus is now considered art, and even my European Mail Order Warehouse is right now exhibited in the MOMA New York, I keep playing with you, entering unknown territories. Yesterday I was standing close to the abyss, today I am fortunately one step further.
 
TAMAS ST.TURBA (SUPERINTENDENT OF IPUT) | BUDAPEST

SUMMARY OF THE VIITH INTERNATIONAL FLUXUS WORLD CONFERENCE - BEIJING, JANUARY 01-17 2011:
WHAT'S NEXT FLUXUS?
Sections:
Fluxus, Proto Fluxus, Neo-Fluxus, Post Fluxus, Modern Fluxus,
Mac-Unfluxus, Paleolithic Fluxus, Fluxus Rococo, Crypto Fluxus,
Fluxus Infra, Ultra Fluxus, Fuck the Fluxus, Go-Go Fluxus,
Kid Fluxus, Baptist Fluxus, Trans Fluxus, Surfluxus, Meta Fluxus,
Past Fluxus, Future Fluxus, Dead Fluxus, Everest Fluxus.

Registered Fluxclubs in the world: 145 025, members: 126 772 547.
Wild Fluxclubs worldwide: about 120 000, m.: 24 000 000.
(est.: by Unesco Fluxus Department, 2010).
192 countries sent only 90 873 delegates, because the NATO could not afford more sponsoring this year. (Ben Vautier was not invited.) 198 400 Events, Actions, Occurrences, and Happenings were done during 6 days in the Olympic St.Adion of Fluxers and the Fluxus Glory Museum of Heaven and different venues (streets, apartments, churches, schools, factories, offices, in the nature, etc.) simultaneously, the 7th day was the Luxus St.Rike Day.
Brasil and Angola want to limit the quota of performing Emmett Williams' and Eric Andersen's scores.
Philippine and Ireland walked out, because the Mail Art, the Female Art and the Email Art got the right to vote separately.
Signing petition against the ban of Fluxus in Iraq, Libya, Tibet, and Vatican.
(Compiled by IPUT, Tamas St.Turba)


***


„Die Irren sind los ...“ 
FLUXUS-EREIGNISSE IN EUROPA 1962-1977

Franziska Arsand
Öffentlichkeitsarbeit | Redaktion

Projektbüro c/o Petra Stegmann
Albert-Einstein-Str. 25
14473 Potsdam
phone +49 331 2712266
fax       +49 331 2712267
arsand at europeanfluxusfestivals.eu
info at europeanfluxusfestivals.eu

www.dieirrensindlos.tumblr.com
www.thelunaticsareontheloose.tumblr.com