Fluxus

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Fluxus

Years active	Early 1960s–1978
Location	International
Major figures	George Maciunas, Yoko Ono, Nam June Paik, Joseph Beuys, Dick Higgins, Alison Knowles
Influenced	Conceptual art, Performance art, Intermedia

Fluxus is an international network of artists, composers, and designers noted for blending different artistic media and disciplines in the 1960s. The movement is characterized by a strong anti-commercial and anti-art sensibility. Fluxus is often described as intermedia, a term coined by Fluxus artist Dick Higgins to describe the interdisciplinary activities that occur between different media.

History

Fluxus was founded in the early 1960s by George Maciunas, a Lithuanian-American artist. The movement was heavily influenced by earlier avant-garde movements such as Dada, Surrealism, and Futurism, as well as by Zen Buddhism. The first Fluxus event took place in Wiesbaden, Germany, in 1962, and the movement quickly spread to other parts of Europe, the United States, and Japan.

Key Figures

Some of the most notable artists associated with Fluxus include:

• George Maciunas: The founder and central figure of the movement.
• Yoko Ono: A Japanese multimedia artist and peace activist.
• Nam June Paik: A Korean-American artist who is considered to be the founder of video art.
• Joseph Beuys: A German artist known for his work in performance art and installation art.
• Dick Higgins: An American artist who coined the term "intermedia."
• Alison Knowles: An American artist known for her work in performance art and book art.

Characteristics

Fluxus works are often characterized by their experimental nature and their use of everyday objects and actions. The movement sought to challenge the traditional boundaries between art and life, and many Fluxus works are humorous or absurd. Common forms of Fluxus art include performance art, event scores, happenings, and mail art.

Influence

Fluxus has had a significant impact on later art movements, including Conceptual art, Performance art, and Intermedia. The movement's emphasis on process over product and its rejection of the commercial art market have influenced many contemporary artists.

Legacy

Although the Fluxus movement officially ended in 1978 with the death of George Maciunas, its influence continues to be felt in the art world today. Many museums and galleries around the world hold collections of Fluxus works, and the movement is the subject of numerous exhibitions and academic studies.

See also

• Dada
• Surrealism
• Futurism
• Zen Buddhism
• Conceptual art
• Performance art
• Intermedia