1971-11-03

HENNING CHRISTIANSEN
BAKKEHØJGAARD
4792 ASKEBY
DENMARK

DAVID MAYOR
c/o AMARTS
QUEEN’S BUILDING
UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
EXETER EX4 4QN
ENGLAND

3 Nov. 1971

Dear Henning Christiansen,

I am writing to invite you to participate in the proposed series of actions/events/happenings announced in the enclosed.
The format of this extended event, which will travel about the country outside the established commercial gallery circuit is as follows :

1) selected works from the past
2) a certain amount of documentation on what you consider to do the more important of your past works/events, together with :
3) a short explanatory account of activities undertaken up till now (possibly in cheap catalog form)
4) works in progress
5) actions/Events/happenings past and present, preferably biased towards the latter (I do not want the project to be yet another 'Retrospective' ; rather it might be indicative of what you’re doing now, in the light of past activities)
6) discussions/lectures on your own work on FLUXUS and on the relation (or non-relation) of the two

As you see, the plan is as yet very open. If you consider participating, I would like you to propose alternative formats, or expanded versions of the very basic plan put forward above I think it important to take into account in your proposal that few people in this country know about FLUXUS and related activities. Apart from your own personal aims/commitments, perhaps the chief object of the show should be to indicate what (you think) FLUXUS is (and has been).

To render the whole thing more manageable, it will be spread over the year beginning October 1972. It would help if you could indicate other (FLUXUS) artists with whom you would like to work if you come, and when you would like to come.

Our activities here apart from arranging this project include the foundation of an archive (open to all) devoted to FLUXUS and related activities. Any works/documentation you contribute for the show could then, if you like, pass into the archive, and would be welcome.

[s. 2]

A FLUXRUNDBRIEF : 1 + 1

I am also building up a questionnaire (for exhibition, publication &/or the archive). If you are interested, could you propose items for this These will then be circulated among any others taking part and the responses sent back to you (and me) so that a network of exchange can be set up. So far entries are along the following lines:

1) do you wish to participate in the proposed series of events ? (if not I’d be interested to know why not)

2) if the answer to (1) is ’yes' (and. if possible- even if it is 'no'), please send a list of performed/published/exhibited works/texts (or names/addresses of galleries etc. I could contact for materials/information relevant to your past artistic activities)
(do not bother to answer the following if they have already been dealt with in the material referred to in (2)

3) what are your ‘aims’ in your own work? (in relation to esthetic expansion, social commitment, perhaps)

4) how did you come to get involved in FLUXUS (if at all) ?

5) with which (FLUXUS) artists have you most worked?

6) what is FLUXUS (for you) ?

7) who do you think have been those most important for FLUXUS ?

8) how do you conceive of the relation between you/your work and your/its audience ?

(of course you needn't answer any of these if you don't want to - on the other hand, if any of your answers get too long perhaps you would like them published in the informal magazine mentioned below)

I am collecting material from those who are/have been associated w:th FLUXUS for publication in a magazine series to be started soon. Again the format is open, to be decided by whatever you care to send

Of course, the exhibition (and the mag) will require financing and we here are not at the moment too well off. If you can for that reason try to keep any projects fairly economical I’d be grateful . Also: any ideas about sources of funds? (would you be willing to teach in art colleges a few times to help finance your own part of the show, for example?)

I do hope you will be able to collaborate

Looking forward to hearing from you

Yours

David F Mayor

PS: don’t take all that bit about archiving too seriously if you don’t like it!

[bilag]

FLUXUS WEST IN ENGLAND

PROJECT

TRANSFORMABLE EXHIBITION OF EVENTS-ENVIRONMENTS-WORKS-PUBLICATIONS TO ACCOMPANY FLUXUS ARTISTS ON THEIR TRAVELS AROUND BRITAIN, STARTING LATE 1972

ANYONE WISHING TO:

PARTICIPATE-PERFORM-ASSIST-ORGANIZE-CONTRIBUTE-LOAN-GIVE-SELL-STEAL-REQUEST-SUGGEST IDEAS ON

MATERIALS-MONEY FUND-RAISING SHOW PLACES – SPACES NEW STRATEGIES FOR EXHIBITIONS PEOPLE WHO MIGHT:

PARTICIPATE-PERFORM-ASSIST-ORGANIZE CONTRIBUE-LOAN-GIVE-SELL-STEAL-REQUEST SUGGEST IDEAS ON

MATERIALS-MONEY FUND-RAISING SHOW PLACES-SPACES NEW STRATEGIES FOR EXHIBITIONS

PEOPLE WHO MIGHT:

PLEASE CONTACT:

DAVID MAYOR

FLUXUS WEST IN ENGLAND

Queen’s Building
University of Exeter
Exeter
England
EX4 4QH

Telephone: Exeter 77911

Telegrams: Amarts Exeter

Telex: 42894

Director: M.L.H.L. Weaver M.A. PhD.

Associate Director: D.F. Mayor B.A.

Co-Ordinator: M.R. Gibbs B.A.