My 2 Cents Worth:
I'm not certain thatMadawgcompletely disagrees
with Owen Smith - even though she says she does. He does not put forward a
definitive "take it or leave it" view on the matter in either his recent
communications or in his book.His book title, Fluxus: The History of
an Attitude seems to sum it up quite nicely. Fluxus was an attitude, and as
such there was (and is) considerable latitude within that attitude. The history
of that attitude is what Fluxus was - and the living
continuation of that attitude is what Fluxus is - and is what
Fluxus will continue to be.I don't think that there has to be only
one accepted definition of Fluxus, nor is it necessary for Fluxus
definitions to exist on an "either/or" basis. Even during the Fluxus formative
years there were schisms and disagreements over what Fluxus was or wasn't, over
what works were Fluxus and what works were not, and over which artists
wereFluxus and which artists weren't.
Like Madawg I agree that one does not
need to be "anointed or appointed" to be Fluxus, however I also think that one
must have a pretty goodunderstanding of what Fluxus was, and of what
Fluxus is, before one can call oneself Fluxus with any claim to legitimacy. I.E.
People who believe that Fluxus no longer exists would probably not accept
anybody working today as a "Fluxus Artist". People who believe
that Fluxus art continues to be made today would likely accept
anyonecreating workwith a Fluxus attitude and working in Fluxus
media as a"Fluxus Artist". But if somebody who didn't have any understanding of
Fluxus at all was to claim thathe was aFluxus Artist, based only on
his facility in painting impressionist-style landscapes, I doubt that anybody
would seriously consider the claim to be valid.
One part of Fluxus belongs to history, but another part
still thrives today. Maybe we can think of Fluxus as being like a monarchy.
Monarchs come and go. Kings and Queens are crowned and die. But the monarchy
lives on. Fluxus is dead. Long live Fluxus!
Allan Revich
-Original Message-From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On
Behalf Of Madawg PainterofdarkSent: Saturday, July 15, 2006 12:55 PMTo:
FLUXLIST@scribble.comSubject: Re: FLUXLIST: by the way-I disagree with
Owen--- brian [EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote: could this be a part of reason as to why Fluxus
founders/elders might consider that Fluxus as an art movement is
dead ? not to erect a pretense or framing of Fluxus as a group,
but once any semblance of structure is razed then Fluxus might as well
be a pot of stewed cabbage, or a Name-A-Day thing...now that might be
Fluxus, if recognized as such .
brian 'Bear of little brain triumphs over
adversity.'it sounds like you are saying-as my mother
likes topsay-- fluxus is of the people. Yes -I am here to saythat Fluxus
is main stream - it diminishes it,
how?yoursDawg__Do
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