George Maciunas was the founding member and leader of the most radical and experimental art movement of th 1960s: "Fluxus". Associated with artists such as Joseph Bueys and Yoko Ono, Fluxus rejected traditional systems of high art and practised a form of "anti-art" encompassing everything from photography and pavement art to poetry and drama. This biography of one of the key figures in the history of 20th-century art recounts in text and archive photographs the life story of this contradictory and unorthodox man. Emmett Williams provides anecdotes and impressions from former Fluxus colleagues and other friends (and enemies), to produce a portrait of this crusader, whose mission was to change the world - beginning with the world of art. Although tempered with wit and wisdom, his iconoclasm won him few friends amongst the art establishment during his lifetime, but Fluxus prevailed as an acknowledged force behind the upheavals in the art of the 20th century.
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From Publishers Weekly
The vague recollections that make up this book serve neither George Maciunas, the eccentric master of what one colleague termed an "uncharted vision," nor the Dada-like art movement of the 1960s that he christened "Fluxus." Maciunas (1931-1978), a Lithuanian native who studied art, graphics and architecture in the U. S., lived with his mother until he was 37. In addition to organizing a movement that attempted to break down artistic conventions, he organized the first cooperatives in New York's SoHo district in order to provide affordable housing for artists. Although many of his productions, such as a Fluxmass where smoke bombs replaced candles, were frivolous, some of his activities were not. To chronicle them, Fluxus activist Williams and British painter Noel have gathered reminiscences from his friends and presented them in an order that corresponds roughly to episodes in Maciunas's life. Because the editors offer as much documentation on his habit of buying food in large quantities as they do on his more meaningful pursuits, the book lacks any sense of proportion. It's also unfortunate that certain of the most famous proponents (Yoko Ono, for example) weren't more forthcoming and that the excerpts didn't have better attribution, and thus context, within the book. Ultimately, the image that emerges is bloated and badly blurred. 100 illustrations.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
As a phenomenon, Fluxus was neither a part of the contemporaneous Pop Art movement nor a form of Neo-Dada. Spawned in the 1960s through the collaborative efforts of such artists as Nam June Paik, Josef Beuys, and Yoko Ono, Fluxus has had a big impact on art produced ever since. In many ways, it was a lifestyle, and no one lived it more completely than George Maciunas, founder and prime mover. Born in Lithuania, he possessed a great capacity for organizing materials as well as people. He hated waste and suffered much of his life from respiratory difficulties, accomplishing much with very few resources and a lot of ingenuity. As an individual, he was the quintessential artist with a mission, someone who passionately practiced what he preached. Until this biography, few sources could begin to pin down this complex and eccentric man. In keeping with the Fluxus spirit, it is an international collective work, written by the people who knew Maciunas. Above and beyond the biographical material, this book is loaded with insightful anecdotes about the art world of the 1960s. Recommended for all contemporary art history collections.ASusan M. Olcott, Columbus Metropolitan Lib., OH
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Must Read for Fluxus Fans,
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This review is from: Mr. Fluxus: A Collective Portrait of George Maciunas, 1931-1978 (Hardcover)
George Maciunas was such an interesting and eccentric guy whose life influenced so much of late 20th century art and thinking, most notably international performance art and film. That he's been off the radar so long seems strange and makes him ripe for discovery for those interested in understanding the foundation of today's 'anything goes' art scene.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A definitive depiction of the life and times of G. Maciunas,
By A Customer
This review is from: Mr. Fluxus: A Collective Portrait of George Maciunas, 1931-1978 (Hardcover)
Emmett William's Mr Fluxus is a collective portrait of the founder of the Fluxus group. Maciunas was a typographer, visual designer, teacher and organizer. He was a constant source of ideas, and worked tirelessly to produce them. At various times now famous artists such as Beuyes, Ono and Paik joined a loose band of others. They participated in FluxFests, produced FluxGames and objects and sold them in FluxShops. His FluxHouses were among the seeds of today's SOHO. Among the ironies of his life , is that many of his ideas have led to financial success for others, while he lived a spartan life and suffered financial disasters. The book is a collective of anonymous quotes as Fluxus was a collective. The quotes are attributed at the end, but the form si sometimes confusing. Williams and Ay-O have produced a valuable document for scholars and art lovers. They had the advantage of being insiders with access to many who might not choose to cooperate, and to know many others who might be too obscure. They also spoke to artists while they were still alive about Fluxus. Al Hansen, Dick Higgins, Peter Moore and Dieter Roth are no longer available to us. The book presents George Maciunas in all of his complexity. Fluxus has had a role in the genesis of Performance art and Conceptual art. This book will help us remember him in his context.
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