Experimental / Experiential
Where does Fluxus fit within the history of art? From the
beginning of human art-making there have coexisted two streams in the
history of art. Art was either made to be decorative and illustrative,
or created to serve an experiential spiritual purpose. This statement
is not meant to imply that decorative art cannot be spiritual or that
religious/shamanistic art can't also be decorative. Clearly there are
numerous examples of art that is both decorative and experiential.
However, what is important is the purpose for which the art was
created.
I think that to most members of the public
art is viewed as serving a primarily decorative function. This
assumption applies even to 'traditional' religious art which is seen to
be decorative and also illustrative, but is often not seen for the
deeper experiential emotions which it is meant to evoke. Art that is
primarily experiential, and that is not inclined to be simultaneously
decorative, is perceived by many people as being incomprehensible. It
has been a lesson throughout human history, that what is not understood
is generally also hated.
Fluxus is part of a tradition in art that places experimentation with the experiential nature of art as a high priority.
While this tradition predates modernism and can be found in examples
from throughout history, the experiential tradition has most clearly be
articulated and evidenced since the beginning of the twentieth century.
This is when experimentation with experiential art resulted in an overt
separation of art-making from decoration manufacturing and
illustration. Dada, Fluxus/Intermedia, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art
and Minimalism have elevated experimentation with concepts, and
experiential "art as event" into discreet art movements. The
unfortunate side effect of art as experience, art as concepts, or art
as event — has been that many people have been unable to disassociate
themselves from the belief that all art must be decorative or
illustrative in order to be called "art". Even while Fluxus and
Intermedia make art more accessible to more people, people are having
difficulty accepting the accessibility of experiential art because they
are finding it difficult to accept it as "art".
:
Trackbacks:
Trackback link: