>Robert Filliou felt Fluxus and Dada quite
>different. Wrote eloquent, concise letter on
>the point. Don't have letter at hand, but
>quoted in in full in my 1972 book The
>Aesthetics.
>
>
"Of course, the Fluxus group is composed of individuals who differ much in
their personality and their work. The general human approach of all,
however, is sensiby the same, I think, namely to fight hard *against* the
bottomless stupidity, sadness and meanness that keep plaguing our lives; and
*for* a world in which spontaneity, joy, humour, and -- why not? -- some
sort of higher wisdom (many of us have been influenced by Zen Buddhism), and
true social justice and welfare (most of us are politically of the left)
would become as common as green are my woman's eyes.
"Some program ! I know. I know. Still, we're busy at it. Our main problems
are, as I see it, to avoid: --falling into mere slapstick, or into the trap
of anti-art (neo-dadaism); --being slack in the choice of works, by fear
that the bad (the imitations) should drive out the good (the original
contributions); --becoming prisoners of a 'system'. After all, art is what
artists do, and we all write, paint, compose, love, perform,
etc.............., because we know how. What I means is, we're not alone.
Our aims are fundamentally everyone's. Everyone's defects are also our own.
As for me, anyone who at least helps me to fight off the worst is mhy
friend, if he wishes."
R.F. 21-12-63
