Sol, Patricia, Disco and any and all other Fluxlister -
Over the last few years as I have explored Fluxus I have become
increasingly dissatisfied with traditional scholarly or historical
approaches to the subject of Fluxus (mine included). I have to say that
one of the things that bothers me the most, both as an artist and as a
scholar, is ultimately that such approaches by themselves are unable to
either communicate the nature or joy of Fluxus type work. Fluxus is for
me no longer only a historical subject that I am either able to, or
even want to only objectively analyze. I have come to the realization
that to thoroughly communicate what I find of interest or significance
in Fluxus I can not approach it through solely traditional historical
methods or models. For this reason then, what I would like to propose
to the Fluxlist is that, even though a certain amount of my following
comments will make use of analytical approaches or traditional models,
that we use the comments that I will make as a performance, or maybe
experience of, Benjamin Patterson's piece Seminar I , the score for
which is as follows:
Seminar I
The general outline of the seminar is explained to the participants
Models of the particular genre of activity (compositions) which will be
examined are demonstrated and rehearsed by the participants.
Participants are divided into discussion-work groups.
The characteristics, problems, etc. of these models are discussed and
new activities are composed within the genre.
Each work group presents its new compositions to the seminar.
general discussion, if any. [the four suits, p. 55-56]
Using this model of Patterson's Seminal I the general outline of our
discussion/performance will be as follows:
first, I will present some ideas and issues of the genre of performance
activity that can and has been loosely grouped under the name Fluxus.
In my comments I will also mention a few Fluxus works, give the scores
and a possible way for you to realize them, as a way of beginning our
process. I will not give you all my initial comments at once, but
rather in two or three installments so that you can mull them over and
digest them.
Second, all who choose to continue to participate, will be become the
Fluxlist discussion-work groups (as Patterson suggests in the score),
or we could even divide into smaller sub groups, but I think that would
become a bit too unwieldy. So once we are formed into our
discussion-work group we should then (as mentioned by Patterson)
discuss the characteristics, problems, etc. of these models.
Then following these discussions those who are participating in our
discussion-work group (both actively and passively - yes even the
lurkers) should create and score a new composition in this discussed
genre, that is Fluxus and share them with the list.
OK? Shall we go for it. . . . . .
My first set of comments will follow by the end of the day, if not
sooner
Owen
WORK - Williams Counting Song #2, 1962
- Suggested performance variation - the performer (thats you) goes
to a street corner and silently points at and counts each visible
person from her/his location.
