Fluxus

Description

Fluxus was an international, interdisciplinary community of artists, composers, designers, and poets during the 1960s and 1970s who, inspired by John Cage, engaged in experimental art performances which emphasized the artistic tradition of chance-based process over the finished product. Fluxus is known for experimental contributions to different artistic media and disciplines and for generating new art forms. These art forms include intermedia, a term coined by Fluxus artist Dick Higgins; conceptual art, first developed by Henry Flynt, an artist contentiously associated with Fluxus; and video art, first pioneered by Nam June Paik and Wolf Vostell. Dutch gallerist and art critic Harry Ruhé describes Fluxus as "the most radical and experimental art movement of the sixties". Read more ↗

Key Artists

George Maciunas
Founder and central organizer of Fluxus; authored the 1963 Fluxus Manifesto and produced affordable, mass-produced Fluxkits and artist editions.
George Brecht
Pioneer of the 'Event Score' who composed concise text instructions (such as 'Water Yam') that transformed everyday actions into participatory art.
Yoko Ono
Key early collaborator whose self-published book 'Grapefruit' (1964) and instructions like 'Lighting Piece' were foundational to Fluxus performance.
Nam June Paik
Pioneering Fluxus member who integrated television, modified musical instruments, and video technology into anarchic public performances.
Joseph Beuys
Influential German artist whose ritualistic 'Actions' and concept of 'Social Sculpture' intersected deeply with the European Fluxus network.
Alison Knowles
Founding member who performed the iconic score 'Make a Salad' (1962) and co-produced the first computerized poem 'A House of Dust'.
Ben Vautier
French Fluxus artist whose text-based paintings and 'Total Art' philosophy championed anti-art and everyday attitudes.

Famous Artworks

View catalog entry at moma.org ↗
Fluxus Manifesto
George Maciunas · 1963
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York - Offset lithograph and typography
View catalog entry at moma.org ↗
Water Yam
George Brecht · 1963
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York - Boxed set of printed event score cards (Fluxkit)
View catalog entry at moma.org ↗
Grapefruit
Yoko Ono · 1964
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York - Artist book of conceptual instruction scores
View catalog entry at moma.org ↗
Zen for Film
Nam June Paik · 1964
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York - Clear 16mm film leader projected onto a screen
View catalog entry at moma.org ↗
Fluxkit
George Maciunas and Various Artists · 1965
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York - Vinyl attaché case containing multiples, objects, and scores by numerous artists
View catalog entry at tate.org.uk ↗
Infiltration Homogen for Piano
Joseph Beuys · 1966
Centre Pompidou, Paris - Grand piano sewn inside grey felt with red cross symbol

Fun Facts

The name 'Fluxus' was coined by George Maciunas from the Latin word meaning 'to flow', chosen to emphasize the continuous, fluid integration of art, music, and everyday life.
↗ Source: tate.org.uk
George Maciunas operated a cooperative headquarters called the Fluxhall on Canal Street in New York City, where affordable artist multiples were sold from vending machines and mail-order catalogs.
↗ Source: moma.org

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