“The lunatics are on the loose…”
EUROPEAN FLUXUS FESTIVALS 1962-1977
Exhibitions - Conferences - Actions - Publications 2012
“The lunatics are on the loose” – a spectator scratched this comment into the poster of the first festival called ‘Fluxus’ held in Wiesbaden in September 1962. The 50th anniversary of Fluxus provides an opportunity to present a new perspective on its radical art actions. A multimedia exhibition installation documents the Fluxus events of the 1960s and 70s and offers active encounters with artists, eyewitnesses and art actions, presented in the form of interviews, films, audio material and documents. It will take place in the summer and fall of 2012 in Berlin, Copenhagen, Kraków, Paris, Poznań, Vilnius and other places.
Since 1962 a series of European cities witnessed Fluxus events. This loose formation of artists became known for shaving their heads on the stage, “working with butter and eggs for a while,” dismantling a piano and screaming. The audience and media were outraged: “Music with eggs,” “They hang up cabbage and say it’s art,” “Newest Music in Madhouse-Style” – these were some of the labels for actions by Eric Andersen, George Brecht, Philip Corner, Dick Higgins, Alison Knowles, George Maciunas, Nam June Paik, Ben Patterson, Mieko Shiomi, Ben Vautier, Emmett Williams and many others. Their goal was to break down the boundaries of art and overcome the bourgeois notion of art.
What remains of the revolutionary actions of the 1960s and 1970s today?
While the artists who are still active seek to keep Fluxus ideas and actions alive, an ever growing number of art historians are researching the history of Fluxus in all its variety. Nevertheless, the knowledge about the European Fluxus festivals is still rudimentary. Therefore, it is time to bring together research results in an international project, make previously undiscovered material accessible and most of all, draw attention to the artists’ and eyewitnesses’ perspectives.
“The lunatics are on the loose…” EUROPEAN FLUXUS FESTIVALS 1962 -1977 features:
• A reconstruction of European Fluxus festivals by means of an interactive multimedia exhibition installation that gives information on historical performances, their reception and audiences, as well as the development of the Fluxus network
• Documentary presentations, focusing on local Fluxus events
• Do-it-yourself Fluxus installations, that offer visitors an opportunity to do perform Fluxus pieces within the exhibition space
• Actions in public space
• Performances and encounters between artists and audiences
• Symposia and discussions
• Publications including an extensive documentation of historical events
ARTISTS
Eric Andersen (DK), Philip Corner (US/IT), Geoffrey Hendricks (US), Bengt af Klintberg (SE), Milan Knížák (CZ), Alison Knowles (US), Jarosław Kozłowski (PL), Vytautas Landsbergis (LT), Larry Miller (US), Ann Noël (GB/DE), Ben Patterson (US/DE), Willem de Ridder (NL), Takako Saito (JP/DE), Tamas St.Auby (HU), Ben Vautier (FR) and many others
ART HISTORIANS/CURATORS
Petra Stegmann (DE, concept, coordination) with Bertrand Clavez (FR), Elisabeth Delin Hansen (DK), Peter van der Meijden (NL/DK), Henar Rivière Ríos (ES/DE), Heike Roms (DE/GB), Caroline Ugelstad (NO)
VENUES/PARTNERS
Akademie der Künste, Hanseatenweg, Berlin, 13 July - 12 August 2012
University of Arts in Poznań, 9 - 28 October 2012
MOCAK museum of contemporary art in kraków , 19 October - 28 January 2013
Nikolaj Kunsthal, Copenhagen, 2 November - 22 December 2012
CAC Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius, 23 November 2012 - 13 January 2013
Goethe-Institut Paris, 5 December 2012 - 10 January 2013
others to be confirmed
COOPERATION
Fachhochschule Potsdam (Communication Design)
FUNDING
Capital Cultural Fund, BERLIN
KINDLY SUPPORTED BY
Danish Arts Council
Embassy of Spain in Berlin
Goethe-Institut
APS 2.0
