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I was featured in Jaclyn Paul’s Blog, Mix Tapes and Scribbles!  Click to read!

Tis’ the season to initiate new habits, rituals, and goals.  I am setting a new focus for fluxahedra.com, one that is both obvious and exciting.  I recently found out that I missed a special exhibit at MOMA, “Experimental Women in Flux“, ran August -November 2010.  I found out about it last week and I felt a little like a failure.  Fluxus is not a topic than comes up very often among my peers and generally if it does, I am responsible.  Fluxus is my favorite art movement to date, I am fascinated by it’s history and devoted to keep it alive.

So, in attempt to both never miss another awesome exhibit, and promote the continuance of this militant art movement, I have decided to focus this blog on Fluxus.  Keeping tabs on FLUXFESTS, FLUXHIBITIONS, FLUXCONCERTS, and how this 50 yr old movement has evolved with the influence and aid of our technological takeover, the internet.

I would like to start by announcing that Art’s Birthday is January 17^th.

No, Art is not short for Arthur, I am referring to the grand subject that comprises painting, acting, music, dancing and all forms of creative expression.

In 1963, artist, Robert Filliou, was the first to recognize this international holiday by assuming the fact that one million years prior Art did not exist and then came to be when someone dropped a dry sponge into a bucket of water.

So, the 17^th of January will celebrate Art’s one million-and-fourty-eighth year on this planet.

Although Filliou died in 1987, I am sure he would encourage all of us to spend this day celebrating the existence of art in our lives; whether it is the sound your dog’s toenails make as he treads across the tile floor, or the choreography that captivated you in the theater as you sat frozen during the Black Swan.

Celebrate the mere fact that Art may be old but it sure as hell isn’t dying.

“A Legitimate Waste of Time” Tim Eads

“Fluxus 1” George Maciunas.

“Store Days” Claes Oldenburg.

“Flux Kit” George Maciunas.

“Fluxus Street Theater“George Maciunas.

“The Naked City” Guy Debord.

“Galerie Legitime” Robert Filliou,

“Cut Piece” Yoko Ono,

I have decided I am going to try to re-adopt my website.

So, it’s going to be a little different now…

I am more than a sculptor, in fact most of what I have been up to is not sculpture.  My pseudonymn Fluxahedra is a perfect way to describe me;

The root “FLUX” means “to flow”, “transform”or “change”

and the prefix “HEDRA” simply implies a shape in the 3rd dimension

so as Fluxahedra, my art channels in various forms and I intend to begin documenting the plethora here.

Stay Tuned….

I am shamed to admit, I only just discovered Lee Krasner.  It is an inconvenient truth that big names in art are not necessarily testaments to talent in so much as they knew the right people.  In the case of Krasner, she knew the right people; she was the wife of Jackson Pollock.

I recently rented Ed Harris’ film, “Pollock”.  In it, Lee’s character struck me with as much admiration as compassion.  The film portrayed her as Pollock’s heroine; a remarkable wife devoted to promoting his career as a ground breaking American modern painter.  Lee was also a remarkable painter although she is not recognized for it to the degree we associate with Pollock.  In the film, Lee’s character exhibits her as both ambitiously creative as well as intelligently critical.

Similar to the originality Pollock represented on the canvas, his psychotic alcoholism contributed to his unconventional character.  Pollock was rarely capable of verbally supporting the aims, influence and significance of his work.  Lee however was exceedingly well versed in the politics and formal dialogue vital to modern painting.

The conviction Lee held for Pollock’s talent is regarded as the key to his success.  Where Pollock led a self-destructive life with wildly unruly manners, Lee stood close and picked up all the pieces that would amount to his success.

In the film, Lee politely allowed her art to remain on the backburner as she testified the brilliance of Pollock’s work to Peggy Guggenheim.  Moments after entering their apartment, Peggy’s eye caught an “L.K.” painting.

“L.K., who the hell is L.K.?  I didn’t come to see L.K.”

Lee promptly led Peggy in to Pollock’s studio and began her declaration of Pollock’s abstract.

“Now, these show something” (Peggy)

“The most powerful work to come around the pike, there’s no three ways about it…  What’s most impressed Jackson about the European moderns….is their concept that the source of art comes from the unconscious” (Lee)

Pollock’s devotion to Lee was never noted in the film, on occasion he recognized the invaluable role she held in his life and career, but only during his initial visit to her studio did he remark on her painting.  Understandably, the film is titled “Pollock” not “Krasner” but after viewing the film about seven times I moved on feeling the need to shine a light on Lee Krasner.

I am disappointed none of my art history professors felt compelled to use Krasner as a portrait of an American modern painter, directly influenced by Mondrian or Matisse.

In fact, they never mentioned her in reference to anyone.

Something I have been thinking about is the burden some women carry through their ingrained desire to care for others.  I grew up watching my mother play a similar part as Krasner.  My stepfather, Frank Arcuri, is a relatively successful still life painter.  Day in and day out, Frank is expected to paint, and everything else is taken care by my mother.

Every once in a while my mother decides to join the working world.  The results are always humorous to me.  Frank will blankly stare in the refrigerator unsure where to even begin.  After a couple of week’s worth of pizza lunches his frustrations get the best of him and he begs my mother to stop working.

I too have been found guilty of this ingrained desire to care for others.  In retrospect I am sickened by my blinded ambitions and pray that this revelation prevents any future circumstances of allowing my art to simmer on the back burner.

In consideration of Pollock, I must say I loved this quote:

“How do you know when a painting is finished?’ (interviewer)

“How do you know when your finished making love?” (Pollock)