A Fluxus-commotion at the lecture hall, a burning knight’s castle at the Old Spa House: art, is not always made for eternity. Beginning in the 1960s, with performances and happenings, artists create art forms that do not produce works of material worth, but only exist for the moment of their performance. By means of rare original documents in the exhibition the research project Platform Aachen reconstructs certain examples that took place in Aachen.
The Fluxus-festival at the Technical University of Aachen acted like a starting signal after which Aachen advanced to a lively center for action art in Germany. Not uncommonly newspaper articles, photos and assumed nondescript publications are the only trail, reminding of the often provocative art events. But how much story telling is behind the former news coverage and how effektively does this inform our view on the events nowadays? Why have some activities nearly been forgotten by now and others have turned into art historical myths?
One of the exhibition’s focal points lies on the activities of the Neue Galerie, which was since its foundation in 1970 completely committed to contemporary art and hereby – very up to date – also to action art.
Curator: Benjamin Dodenhoff
Image: Franz Erhard Walther during the Fluxus-festival, 20th July 1964 in the Audimax at the TH Aachen, Photo: Peter Thomann
Plattform Aachen, Installation Views
Photos: Carl Brunn / Ludwig Forum Aachen
