ACTIVATING FLUXUS, EXPANDING CONSERVATION

Fluxus of the 1960s and 70s defied conventional notions of art and creativity by emphasizing artistic practice's transient, playful, and participatory aspects. However, the multidimensionality of Fluxus has been flattened out in the rush to exhibit, historicize, and theorize its objects. This session explores the potential of Fluxus events, objects, and ephemera as active material embodiments that challenge established hierarchies in museums and collecting institutions.

Scholars, artists, and practitioners are invited to present papers that address Fluxus forms of activation, including reconstruction, adaptation, and reinterpretation of works leading to new concepts. The central question is: How can we activate Fluxus today without reducing it to static artifacts? How do we redefine a work's identity and embrace its inherent capacity for change? Can a Fluxus work serve as a thinking device to critically recalibrate the meaning of conservation and care?

By exploring these questions, we hope to generate discussions on the creative and critical potential of Fluxus beyond its historical context. We aim to rethink conservation's role in relation to ephemeral and participatory art, and push the limits of its technical focus. Emphasizing Fluxus's multidimensionality, we seek to invigorate its legacy and open new avenues for artistic and intellectual exploration.