1972-03-16

FLUXenglandWEST
queens building; university of Exeter -
Exeter EX4 4QH – u.k.

16 March 1972

Dear Henning Christiansen

We’re getting things together for a travelling FLUXSHOE which will be touring Britain from this October (1972) to/thru October 1973.

....... This won't be a straight retrospective exhibition of FLUXUS ........

We're not gallerists. Art will be liberated from galleries, museums, and dead archives, to return to a LIVING relationship with people. The result may well be that art ceases to exist as art. Not to worry. So much the better.

....... Nor is it an attempt to resurrect FLUXUS ...........................

We're well aware that FLUXUS has by now worn itself out for many people. It has not, though, gotten to be a dead piece of - museum - history, least of all in this country, where most artists are unaware of FLUXUS, even if involved in FLUX-like activity or using FLUXUS ideas.

....... Rather, the FLUXSHOE will be a neutral presentation of FLUXUS and the individuals who've been associated with it ....................

In Britain now, artists and art students, as well as the 'avant garde' art public, could learn a lot about their
own situation if they knew more about FLUXUS, its successes and its failures. Such an awareness of what's been happening outside the context of the English art they do know could help them see things more clearly, broaden their/our perspectives on own interests & commitments.

....... Without rigid classifications of anyone or anything as FLUXUS or not, or of FLUXUS itself ...........................................

As this will be the first time that many people here will have heard anything more than vague rumours of FLUXUS, there's a danger that the FLUXSHOE will be taken as defining FLUXUS, and certain individuals as FLUXUS individuals.

To avoid any such falsificafion, we're appealing to everyone who's been involved with FLUXUS (and that means y oooo uuuuu) to take an active part in this project, whether or not they feel strong commitment to FLUXUS these days. If we get no feedback, the shoe will revert to being another show. Further - you'll probably feel we've misrepresented you in some way or another.

[s. 2]

The FlUXSHOE will be divided into two interdependent parts
(toe & heel) : -

(i) INFORMATION ON FLUXUS, providing a lead-in for people who know little about it ... … in the form of slides, tapes, films, photos, texts, scores, manifestoes, but with minimal straight documentation.

(ii) DIRECT PRESENTATION OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW, whether you see it as FLUXUS, related to FLUXUS, or not
... in the same form as above.
Performances will span both parts.

The second section will be expanded, money permitting, to include less structured interaction between those taking part and those visiting the shoe.
At each stopping-place, a duplicated/mimeo'd booklet will be produced as a continuing supplement to the already processed/frozen information of the catalogue. It will contain immediate records of what happens at that particular stage of the journey (performances, and informal conversational exchanges between both parties, as well as anything else that comes out of the situation).

For further coherence, and because of the materials already, available here, the shoe’s initial focus will be the 'EVENT.’ This does NOT mean that other aspects of FLUXUS will be excluded; the more information/material you can provide and I can find, the more the diffuse(d) nature of FLUXUS
will be appreciated.

It would really help us a lot in getting things together financially (and to avoid chaos when the time comes) if you could answer the questions on the enclosed folded sheet. Your answers needn't be definitive, but we need a rough idea to present to the financial wizards.

PLEASE SEND YOUR REPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND IN ANY CASE NOT LATER THAN APRIL 20.

(Sorry about the impersonality of this, but such is bureaucracy!)

Best wishes for now

David Mayor
(Ass Dir FLUXSHOE)

[s. 3]

FLUXSHOE CATALOGUE

The catalogue for the shoe, a mimeographed production, will be printed by Beau Geste Press.

To be included, please send -

(1) photo or photos (bromide)

(2) short autoboastography

(3) some selected work(s), or, if you’ll be sending for the shoe anyway, indication, of which things you’d like re-produced.

(4) something written (about your own work, ... about FLUXUS, ...)

Alternatively, upon request you'll be sent two lay-out pages to fill as you please.

DEADLINE FOR CATALOGUE ENTRIES IS 1 AUGUST. The earlier you send, the better.

[s. 4]

PARTICIPANTS TO DATE –

Dietrich Albrecht
Marcel Alocco
Eric Andersen
Joseph Beuys
Ian Breakwell
Ugo Carrega
Marc Chaimowicz
Giuseppe Chiari
Mario Diacono
Felipe Ehrenberg
Ken Friedman
Jochen Gerz
Mick Gibbs
Ludwig Gosewitz
Dick Higgins
Davi Det Hompson
Alice Hutchins
Ray Johnson
Per Kirkeby
Milan Knizak
Addi Koepcke

Takehisa Kosugi
John & Yoko
Carla Liss
Gherasim Luca
George Maciunas
Joan Mathews
David Mayor
Jean-Claude Moineau
Alistair Park
Knud Pedersen
Jock Reynolds
Willem de Ridder
Tony Scott
Tomas Schmit
Paul Sharits
Chieko Shiomi
Carolee Schneemann
Takehisha Shohachiro
Stan Vanderbeek
Wolf Vostell
ZAJ

[s. 5]

David Mayor
FLUXenglandWEST
Queen’s Building
University of Exeter
EXETER EX4 4QH
U.K.

FROM –

Henning Christiansen
Bakkehoøjgaard
4792 ASKEBY
Denmark

[s. 6]

If your answer to (2) is ‘YES’ – YES NO
() What sort of things will you be sending?

Originals copies
Objects
Photos
Slides
Films
Tapes
Texts
Scores
Multiples
Publications
Documentation

If your answer to (2) is ‘NO’ –
() if you know of anyone who has some of your work, or information on it, and who may be prepared to loan it (or copies of it), please give names & addresses (especially for photographic material)

() will you be willing to donate work for a FLUX-raffle held before the shoe to raise bread for it?

() exeter university is building up a living archive of FLUX-type work & documentation. After the shoe, may we place whatever contributions you make to it in this archive?

 
HC breve 3_0612.jpg

FLUXSHOEQUESTIONNAIRE
(when you’ve answered the questions, refold this sheet, staple or tape closed, & mail it back to us, enclosing any personal comments, requirements, etc. on a separate sheet)

WILL YOU BE TAKING PART IN THE FLUXSHOE? YES NO
(if ‘NO’, please let us know by returning this questionnaire empty)

if ‘YES’, how? – (1) in person
(2) through loan or contribution of work/material
(3) through mailings at () some
() all venues

If your anser to (1) is ‘YES’ –
() when will you be able to come?
() for how long would you like to take part? ()
() have you any preferences as to venue? ()

() if we can arrange it, do you have any preferences as to whom you’d like to work with, etc.? (**)

() how much will your fare be to this country (both ways)?
() can you pay this fare, at least one way?
if not, would you be willing to find a sponsor to pay it? (***)
() how do you envisage your participation?
Performances environments constructions drinking parties …

() what sort of expense will yoru participation incur?

() do you require fees for taking part? ()
() would you be willing to lecture to help cover your costs? ()

(*) The FLUXSHOE will stay at each venue for periods of up to a fortnight. A list of venues, with provisional dates, will soon be available. It includes art colleges, galleries, museums, both in London & elsewhere.

(**) A list of those who’ve already said they’ll be taking part is included with this form.

(***) Though funds are meager, we would eneavour to raise money here. Ditto for lodgings and fees.