- Select: one historical artwork or movement presented to you in lecture
Fluxus: In an early manifesto, flux appears as “Act of flowing: a continuous moving on or passing by, as of a flowing stream; a continuing succession of changes”. Which is the Ideas of indeterminacy, such as continually shifting process.
- Blog Post: research the work and in your blog, describe its historical context and how you think it relates to post-modernism. Also write about why it interests you.
The chosen artwork that represent Fluxus artwork is Cut Piece, Yoko Ono, (1964–66), in this artwork she is challenging the neutrality of the relationship between viewer and art object, Ono presented a situation in which the viewer was implicated in the potentially aggressive act of unveiling the female body. Emphasizing the reciprocal way in which viewers and subjects become objects or each other, Cut Piece also demonstrates how viewing without responsibility has the potential to harm or even destroy the object of perception.” (Phaidon)
This piece become the representation of fluxus becuase of the way it engaged with the artist body, the process of cutting the pieces is the major take away from the artwork, it had also break the distinction between the art and life. Which fluxus artworks has been set that “Fluxus transformed art from an object of aesthetic contemplation to a gesture of political action.”
This work is very much connect to the post-modernism: Post-moderism has two conditions, 1. history progress towards social enlightment and emancipation. Ono’s artwork is asking the society to reflect their mindset towards female body, the aggressive action of unveiling the female body will be new step forward to push the female liberation. Which is a royal historical progress.
2. knowledge as progressing towards totalisation, this artwork might not a be as direct as others, however, the knowledge of gender inequality and slience violation is the knowledge that summerize to explain the reason of female body shaming.
Compares to scientific knowledge, it mostly be social and ethical reflection, it is a pratice that is critical such as existance and identity. However, it wasn’t hyperreality to destory the concept.
- Read: “Umberto Eco “The Poetics of the Open Work”
Eco’s core argument is that certain artistic works, which he describes as “open works,” are intentionally incomplete and invite the audience to engage in the creative process. Unlike “closed works,” which are fully determined by the artist, open works provide a field of possibilities and interpretations, allowing each audience member to realize the work in their own unique way.
In the titular essay, Eco applies this concept to the field of contemporary music, discussing composers like Karlheinz Stockhausen and John Cage, whose compositions often involve elements of chance or indeterminacy, thus creating a different performance each time.
In subsequent essays, Eco extends this idea to other forms of art and literature, discussing authors like James Joyce and artists like the abstract expressionists, whose works resist singular, authoritative interpretations and instead invite multiple readings.
Eco also discusses the broader implications of the open work for our understanding of form and interpretation, arguing that this openness reflects a shift in the cultural and philosophical landscape of the 20th century, characterized by a new emphasis on process, dynamism, and multiplicity.
Key point I catched:
- Openness in Literature and Art: Eco presents the idea of the “open work,” which is a piece of art in which the creator purposefully leaves something unfinished or unclear in order to invite the viewer to engage with the process of creation.
- Change and Indeterminacy: Eco contends that the emphasis on process, change, and indeterminacy in open works reflects a larger movement in 20th-century philosophy and culture.
- The Audience’s Function: The audience’s function in open works shifts from that of passive recipients to that of active participants in the creative process.
- Multiplicity of Interpretation: To reflect the complexity and diversity of contemporary life, open works welcome several readings rather than a single, authoritative interpretation.
- Read: Brandon Labelle “Introduction” to Background Noise: Perspectives on Sound Art (2015) (p ix– xvi)
In the Introduction, LaBelle outlines the key themes and objectives of the book. He proposes to trace the history and development of sound art as a distinct artistic discipline, while also exploring the theoretical, philosophical, and aesthetic issues that it raises.
LaBelle starts by acknowledging the diverse and interdisciplinary nature of sound art, which intersects with various fields like music, visual arts, performance, film, and new media. He suggests that sound art’s hybrid and often ephemeral nature challenges traditional notions of art and aesthetics.
LaBelle also discusses the unique properties of sound as a medium. He notes that sound is temporal, immersive, and capable of invoking a strong emotional response. Sound also has the power to shape our perception of space and create a sense of place, which is a recurring theme in sound art.
In this context, LaBelle introduces the notion of “background noise,” which serves as a metaphor for sound art’s position in the broader artistic landscape. Just like background noise, sound art often goes unnoticed and underappreciated, staying at the margins of the mainstream art world. However, it also provides a rich texture and depth to our sensory experience, just like background noise contributes to our auditory environment.
Throughout the book, LaBelle aims to bring this “background noise” to the forefront, exploring the ways in which sound art challenges our perceptions, experiences, and understandings of sound, space, and culture.
Key point I have catched:
- Sound art’s interdisciplinarity: Sound art’s hybrid nature is reflected in its intersections with other artistic fields.
- Features of Sound: Sound affects our perception of space and is a temporal, immersive, and emotive medium.
- Background Noise: LaBelle used the idea of “background noise” to alludes to the place of sound art in the field of art as well as its role in enhancing our sensory perception.
- Experience and Perception: Sound art questions how we understand and relate to sound, space, and culture.
Citations:
Phaidon. “Yoko Ono’s Cut Piece Explained.” PHAIDON, www.phaidon.com/agenda/art/articles/2015/may/18/yoko-ono-s-cut-piece-explained/. Accessed 29 Oct. 2023.