ARTICLE

internationaL indeterminaCy and tHe maiL

ColbY Chamberlain

Post CHart “The main thing I wanted to talk about is the chart,” says Larry Miller.1 So begins George Maciunas’s last interview, in March 1978, two months before his death from pancreatic cancer. The video recording shows Maciunas supine on a couch, cocooned in a cardigan, noticeably weak. Miller speaks off camera, asking about “the chart,” otherwise known as Maciunas’s Diagram of Historical Development of and Other 4 Dimentional, [sic] Aural, Optic, Olfactory, Epithelial and Tactile Forms, published in 1973. “Maybe I ought to describe the general construction,” Maciunas says.2 The chart tracks time as it moves downward, he explains. From left to right it registers what Maciunas calls “style,” with at one extreme and ’s concept art at the other. “I chose style rather than location because the style is so unlocalised [sic], and mainly because of the travels of . So you could call the whole chart like ‘Travels of John Cage’ like you could say ‘Travels of St. Paul,’ you know?”3 According to Maciunas, Cage’s peripatetic concerts and

1 Larry Miller, “Transcript of the Videotaped Interview with George Maciunas, 24 March 1978,” in The Fluxus Reader, ed. (Chichester, UK: Academy Editions, 1998), 183. 2 Miller, “Interview with George Maciunas,” 183. 3 Miller, “Interview with George Maciunas,” 183.

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George Maciunas. Diagram of Historical Development of Fluxus and Other 4 Dimentional, Aural, Optic, Olfactory, Epithelial and Tactile Art Forms (Incomplete), 1973. Offset lithograph. Digital image © Museum of , licensed by SCALA/Art Resource, NY. Image courtesy of Billie Maciunas. Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021 Cage Chart,” Maciunas states, “Not [the] Fluxus Chart, but Cage.” Chart, “Not [the] Fluxus states, Maciunas Chart,” Cage the chart that “You call could nowhere is “John Cage” everywhere. and name The to gauge. difficult is influence of his extent the contrary, to the despite Maciunas’s but, claims travels, of his wake the in do form groups up, crop little and occasionally notions Cagean itpoint disperses. 1958, it hits at which of ariver, mouth until the like simply widens, column year-by-year its Cage descent at 1948, the begins chart the As diffuse. morefar appears the neo-avant-garde Cage’s on influence trast, Bycon avant-garde. historic the and Cage between link the establishing “John into Cage,” unambiguously Theater” “Futurist and Duchamp” from “Marcel straight conduits feed thick two For instance, traced. and Eastern Europe, and Japan. and Europe, Eastern and Western America, North across extending avant-garde international an to denoting publication to adiscrete went from referring “Fluxus” word year, the next of the course the Over project. Fluxus of the nature the redirected dramatically which mail, he took to the Instead, encounters. in-person through or contributions solicit editors ger enlist now only no he lon could “Fluxus,” titled amagazine to publish efforts his he continued There, Force US Air Exchange. the for ajob with Germany, Wiesbaden, to 1961, flew when October Maciunas in change to began Avenue situation or Yoko This loft. Ono’s Street Chambers on Madison as Maciunas’s short-lived AG such spaces, Gallery specific and cities separate in connection, direct any took place without events These Cologne. in ’s YorkNew soloperformances flanks Tokyo; in in hosted “1961,” under Maciunas Ongaku series aconcert Group MiekoShiomi’s beside appear with Berkeley improvisations in Walter and de Maria Monte Riley Terry Young’s with collaborations Under globe. “1960,” the around La for instance, distance geographic ment after his visits. It shows up very clearly on the chart.” on the Itclearly shows up very visits. his after groups formed those that there, is ence,” fact “But adds. the Maciunas influ some his not some admit group; admit, John Cage which little a went he John left Cage “Wherever Asia. and Europe, America, North “style”—across concepts—his and methods his transmitted lectures 5 4 Miller, “Interview with George Maciunas,” 184. Maciunas,” George with “Interview Miller, 183. Maciunas,” George with “Interview Miller, The graphic proximity of entries on the page often belies their their belies often page on the of entries proximity graphic The Develop- Historical of Diagram the that here suggests Maciunas documents legacy documents . Yet only a few lines of lineage can assuredly be be assuredly can . Yet of lineage lines afew only 4 5

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60 a r t m a r g i n s 7 : 3 9 8 7 strategy in the work of Friedrich Kittler, Bernhard Siegert, Cornelia Cornelia Siegert, Bernhard Kittler, work of the Friedrich in strategy Aprincipal theory. media United German States as the in ship known nental avant-gardes, particularly in curatorial practice. curatorial in particularly avant-gardes, nental transconti to other model anetwork aprecedentfor as applying Fluxus gestures. poetic of linked to evoke achain Network” Eternal “The coined Filliou center,” from the Robert and equidistant all points “a of active network Fluxus called George themselves: Brecht artists the among arose first web. Talk of networks aglobe-spanning as of Fluxus image gauzy the cohesion, conjures and proving without Itdodge. connotes connection aconvenient provided has “network” term membership, its the identify now associated with Internet-based art. Internet-based with now associated of collaboration forms anticipated exchange international Fluxus’s that argument the grounded the has it 1990s, Since effect. to significant 6 technical onto unacknowledged insist been the has others and Vismann, specific material production is analyzed. is production material specific how and its understood are principles aesthetic general how Fluxus’s gap between apersistent is there cohesion. its aresult, As facilitated that apparatuses thespecific to paid been has attention insufficient connectivity, on global discourses to contemporary to relateFluxus (Trondheim, Norway: Guttorm Nordö, 1990), 59–63. 1990), Nordö, Guttorm Norway: (Trondheim, Workbook Performance Fluxus The in Woods,” the in “Hiding Blom, Ina See gap. this of exemplary is toys” executive and clutter desktop of versions “sophisticated its and principles Fluxus’s between distinguish to Blom’sIna attempt 2014). Museum, York: Guggenheim (New 1950s–60s Tomorrow, to Countdown ZERO: ed., Hillings, Valerie in network” “ZERO the in included artists of roster extensive the or 2005), Art, of Gallery National DC: (Washington, Paris York, New Cologne, Hannover, Berlin, Zurich, : ed., Dickerman, Leah in Dada to approach multicity the see For instance, volume. same the in essays other as well as 116–38, 2005), Press, MIT MA: Internet the on Activism and Art to Precursors aDistance: At in Community,” and Creativity, Connections, of Exploration Praxis: “Fluxus F. Smith, Owen see Also 38–45. 2012): (May 2 no. 34, Art and Performance of PAJ: Perform?,” AJournal Fluxus HowDoes SCORE: “THE Young, Gillian 256–57; 3(2011): no. 44, Leonardo Maciunas,” with Working “Net- Schmidt-Burkhardt, Astrit 2001); Press, Minnesota of University (Minneapolis: Art Networked Saper, J. Craig 136–51; 1998), Editions, Academy UK: (Chichester, Reader Fluxus The in Laboratory,” as “Fluxus Saper, J. Craig See Research Journal Research Getty Villefranche,” in Fluxus and Brecht, George Filliou, Robert Pas: Finit Ne Qui Cédille “La Harren, Natilee also See AS). (hereafter, Stuttgart Staatsgalerie Sohm, Archiv Correspondence, Brecht George 1963, 11, January Maciunas, George to Brecht George A tool for closing this gap can be located in the body of scholar- body the in located be gap can this A tool for closing In debates over how to characterize Fluxus’s internationalism and and internationalism Fluxus’s debatesIn over how to characterize 6 The term subsequently carried over into Fluxus scholarship, scholarship, over Fluxus into carried subsequently term The , ed. Annmarie Chandler and Norie Neumark, Leonardo Book series (Cambridge, (Cambridge, series Book Leonardo Neumark, Norie and Chandler Annmarie , ed. , no. 4 (January 1, 2012): 138–40. 2012): 1, 4(January , no. 7 More recently, cast it has 9

, ed. Ken Friedman Friedman Ken , ed. , ed. Ken Friedman Friedman Ken , ed. 8 Yet in the rush Yet rush the in -

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021 alization” of the art object. art of the alization” other ten other and art, , Conceptual of Fluxus, for studies value particular of or memos, typewriters—is binders, production—like knowedge of substrates material to the attention theory’s media tory, German The Post Card Post The metaphors in play on postal Derrida’s Jacques and on governmentality Foucault’s latent in lectures a priori” System Postal the of Epoch an as Literature Siegert’s Relays: to Bernhard ment indebted most is in technologies of data storage and transmission. and storage of data technologies in (Aufschreibesysteme networks” course of Foucault’s “epistemes” “dis as reconceptualization Kittler’s with beginning thought, poststructural much conditions grounding 12 11 10 / LE CHOIX DU FACTEUR. The surprise CHOICE surprise CHOIX DU / LE FACTEUR. The POSTMAN’S THE languages: two in appears atitle left, the On address. an for writing lines astamp’s placement proper three and designating Choice another address with astamp.” with address another on and another, astamp one with address write he’ll postcard, of the one “On side interview. Choice,’” end of atthe the he to Miller says ‘Postman’s where one he called has postcard functional do avery will “paperwork.” media as of administration—but “aesthetic” an works onbearing paper not mediums as documents other and newsletters, cards, 13 attention to “cultural techniques” ( techniques” “cultural to attention their shifted have theory media German with associated scholars many recently, More 1988). Press, University Stanford (Stanford: Communication of Materialities eds., Pfeiffer, Ludwig Karl and Gumbrecht Ulrich Hans see approaches, such of survey excellent For an 1987). Beyond and Freud to Socrates From Card: Post The Derrida, Jacques 9; 1999), Press, University Stanford (Stanford: System Postal the of Epoch an as Literature Relays: Siegert, Bernhard 1990). Press, University Stanford (Stanford: Cullens 1800/1900 Networks Discourse Kittler, A. Friedrich Miller, “Interview with George Maciunas,” 198. Maciunas,” George with “Interview Miller, 97–120. 2015), Press, University York: Fordham (New Winthrop-Young Geoffrey trans. Real the of Articulations Other and Doors, Filters, Grids, Techniques: Cultural in Spaces,” Ruling of Techniques or, Cultural Grid, The Place: in “(Not) Siegert, Bernhard See history. art to proper considered typically objects of anumber to approach this applied has Siegert Notably, practices. everyday constitute and distinctions cultural generate Paperwork, Maciunas is well aware, functions aware, well is Maciunas Paperwork, , a specific juncture of material and technique that I call call that I and technique material of juncture , aspecific , a standard-size postcard on whose right side are a rectangle side arectangle are on whose right postcard , astandard-size dencies associated with communication or the “demateri or the communication with associated ­dencies , which foregrounds the “postal-historical “postal-historical the foregrounds , which , trans. Alan Bass (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, Press, Chicago of University (Chicago: Bass Alan , trans. 12 It provides models for approaching index index for It models approaching provides Kulturtechnik 13 The Postman’s to The referring is Maciunas ) structured by historical shifts shifts historical by ) structured ), the precise material operations that that operations material precise ), the , trans. Michael Metteer and Chris Chris and Metteer Michael , trans. 10 . “Now, Vautier Ben Here my argu- . 11 For art his- For art , trans. Kevin Repp Repp Kevin , trans. —that is, is, —that ­- - , 61 Chamberlain | Geor g e M a c iunas and the M a i l Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021

62 a r t m a r g i n s 7 : 3

Ben Vautier. The Postman’s Choice, 1965, published 1967. Offset lithograph. Digital image © Museum of Modern glove—same function; the glove encloses the hand, right?” hand, the encloses glove the function; glove—same a and envelope now is an function “The Says Maciunas, respectively. ofahand, and aglove surface, over their printed photographic images coupled the by were thematically letters and set’s envelopes 1978. The 14 and ends when it arrives at a final destination, along a route that its that along a its route destination, at afinal when it ends and arrives amailbox into moment card at the the when drops a sender begins that It ascore, as stationery. operates aperformance Wooster Enterprises non decidedly he finds girls of W. stamps Watts, whose artist to Robert points Maciunas acounterexample, As enacts. paper what the depicts ery Art, licensed by SCALA/Art Resource, NY. © 2018 Artists Rights Society (ARS), /ADAGP, Paris. Miller, “Interview with George Maciunas,” 193. Maciunas,” George with “Interview Miller, “functions” differently from the from the differently “functions” Postman’s Choice However, The ated by Jaime Davidovich and Judith Henry between 1976 and between Henry Judith and Davidovich Jaime ated by oper business anovelty-item for Woosterdesigned Enterprises, he set astationery describes Maciunas postcard, to the addition In mail. involve the all examples his curiously, yet, architecture, in training concept to his the He attributes “functionalism.” destinations. distinct two to simultaneously addressed be can piece of mail single This doubly is verso. Postman’s Choice components verso, The on the transmission necessary all and recto on the image an bear apostcard that Whereas convention dictates again. yet thing same . the over, revealing turned is comes card when the Maciunas brings up Vautier’s postcard while explaining up Vautier’s explaining while brings postcard Maciunas functional. C. Fields and pinup Fieldsand C. 14 The imag The - - Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021 single flimsy unit of transmission? transmission? unit of flimsy single ascore outcome its and product, process and compressed a into both as operate could someone one conceive that would day that of apostcard 16 15 whatter eventuality.” no mat with there . identifying mind to his “some exterior operation as a composer’s he defined of release control which to “indeterminacy,” on alecture at of 1958, In Darmstadt John delivered Cage. legacy Cage is a card the composition. More specifically, of experimental strategies the and of functionalism principles the both by marked is man’s Choice Post- of The the is, That nor predict. dictate neither can sender work has no more value than apostcard.” work no more than has value a “a of such recording that added Cage process over product, privilege The acorrespondence. The is ofverso interview—there Maciunas’s last Cage, “Indeterminacy,” 39. “Indeterminacy,” Cage, 1961), 35. Press, University Wesleyan CT: (Middletown, Writings and Lectures Silence: (1958), in “Indeterminacy” Cage, John The Postman’s Choice The and Chart Cage the Between 15 To stress how an indeterminate score would To indeterminate how an stress 16 Could Cage have anticipated have anticipated Cage Could —the recto and and recto —the -

George Maciunas. Hand in Glove, c. 1975. Cardboard box with plastic lid, containing twelve offset envelopes and twelve offset sheets. Digital image © , licensed by SCALA/Art

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64 a r t m a r g i n s 7 : 3 18 17 of“polychromy,” as Cage’s the piano stood prepared for aterm under had earlier, Maciunas ayear Cage’s Only ideas. receiving was Post Cage. Cage. succeeding to Cage, subsequent but also of Cage, alegacy Cage, following in as “Après concert’s title Cage: the did as John Cage.”dimension, After movement’s the historical orDada’s repetition—established revival “Neo-Dada”—implying term very The York,” translation. German in New in “Neo-Dada statement, read Maciunas’s aloud opening Caspari Arthus There, Germany. Wuppertal, in Parnass Galerie Jährling’s was held at Rolf in Europe organized Maciunas concert first The Con Post state. of the apparatus an is mail sincethe risk, or without neutral never works, was net of routes postal relays and to the galleries and halls from concert transfer, This operations. mail’s material the in embedded became Simultaneously, Cage’s word composition the by “Fluxus.” methods as adhesive stamp by much as together, wereCage’s bound travels of wake world the the in around formed had groups” that “little the correspondence, postal through efforts organizational his directed St.Paul’sare epistles known better but far of St.Paul, travels invokes the (Maciunas postal. eminently is itself legacy and of Cage, alegacy is Postman’s Choice man exerts control over every sender’s affairs. sender’s control affairs. over every exerts man power relations. power of considered be amechanism must apostcard even so that media, in grounded all are by Foucault described first security and of discipline 151–52. 2002): 7, 3(December no. Humanities Theoretical the of Journal Angelaki: aPriori,” Postal aGerman on Remarks Subjects: Deliver to Postal “Going Winthrop-Young, Geoffrey Relays in thought Foucault’s of handling Siegert’s of discussion For anuanced 541–43. 2000), Press, MIT MA: (Cambridge, 1975 to 1955 from Art American and European on Essays Industry: Culture and Neo-Avantgarde in Subjects,” Inanimate Objects, Animate Watts: “Robert Buchloh, H. Benjamin contestation. of asite itself as but industry, culture the from refuge a as not service postal the frames My approach longer.” any place take can atall exchange gratuitous no where culture commercial controlled arigorously of sphere the of outside operate still can that circuits communicative and spaces exchange, social of forms cial noncommer the for circuits and spaces “found as systems” and services public of forms “residual treated Fluxus that asserted has who D. Buchloh, H. Benjamin of that from differs service postal the to relationship Fluxus’s of understanding my respect, this In The text of “Neo-Dada in New York” confirms that Maciunas that Maciunas York” New in confirms of “Neo-Dada text The c 17 retism retism German media theory has demonstrated that the regimes regimes the that demonstrated has theory media German 18 As the title of Vautier’s post the title implies, the As postcard .) When Maciunas moved to Wiesbaden.) and When Maciunas , see , see D. - - - - Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021 Maciunas. reality,” explained source or material true its indicate not clearly does the sound since artificial and abstract voice immaterial, largely is or abel-canto keyboard on “[A] note apiano sounded instruments. tuned through those produced to applied “artificial” and origin, rial mate their consistent with sounds denoted “Concrete” lexicon. a new concept: indeterminacy. indeterminacy. concept: compositions played on the chromatic scale. chromatic compositions playedon the 22 21 20 19 and dropped it through the bass’s the slot. f-hole, it were if it amail as through dropped and it, stamped duster. afeather Toand postcard, out a he filled close, combs, clamps, clothespins, with instrument he playedhis for which Double-Bass for Variations in of concretism demonstration aggressive aless advanced Patterson Benjamin evening, that Later press keys. its tion independent of the composer’s subjective will. composer’s of the independent tion subjective for opera any acatch-all as notion of “nature” the from Cage borrowed also autonomy notations). its Maciunas musicians to interpret vidual conductor or the indi ascore (wherein grants to performance respect with indeterminacy and techniques) of chance aid the with written to composition (whereby ascore respect is with indeterminacy thought: Cage’sin indeterminacy of two forms identified astutely Maciunas Maciunas, “Neo-Dada.” Maciunas, 20–21. 2012), Art!, with Down (Potsdam: Stegmann 1962–1977 Festivals Fluxus . ..”: European Loose the on Are Lunatics “The in 1962,” 9June Wuppertal, Cage, John Après Sommerfest: “Kleines Rios, Rivière Henar IV.B.7, 1962, GLS. Art,” Poetry, Theater, Music, in “Neo-Dada Maciunas, George GLS). York New (hereafter, Archives, Art Modern of Museum Archives, Collection Fluxus Silverman Lila and Gilbert I.855, 1978, 20, April History,” Fluxus about Talking [and] Speaking Maciunas George Is “This Maciunas, George instrument.” abstract or say, colorless let’s a very, from color musical extract to device another was piano pared pre the me “For 1978, in stated Maciunas Cage, of understanding early his to Referring and independently of the artist-composer. of the independently and effectively complete art-form, can the methods) compositional or indeterminate-chance performer independent of an form the in (either nature or which, by which within “automatic machine” an of framework, composition akind to provide the requires This [to] course. own completeits nature in form its allowing by composition approachesconcretism greater [A]n indeterminate of asecond reception Cagean his articulated also Maciunas Maciunas departed from Cage’s however, terminology, when he departed Maciunas 20 A concretist, he wrote, would more likely kick a piano than than apiano kick more would he likely wrote, Aconcretist, 19 Maciunas now deployed Maciunas 22

, ed. Petra Petra , ed. 21

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Unknown photographer. Ben Patterson performing his Variations for Double-Bass, at “Kleines Sommerfest: Après John Cage,” Wuppertal, June 9, 1962. Gelatin silver print. Digital image © Museum of Modern Art, licensed by SCALA/Art Resource, NY. Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021 24 discursive proposition that invited further interpretation and revision. and interpretation further invited proposition that discursive a and performance isolated an whereby work both each was receiving and of sending aplay of correspondence, astructure scores within situated of address form This dedications. contained frequently titles world. the around extend would Fluxus collaborators that his promising was Yetstationery. Maciunas already aword was on “Fluxus” as “organization” insofar an only Fluxus call could Patterson occurred. yet had Festivals no Fluxus published, yet 12 Piano Compositions for NamJune for Compositions Piano 12 them 1962, early among in convention adopted the for aspate ofMaciunas compositions he wrote San Francisco, Montreal and New York.” New and Montreal Francisco, San Warsaw,Budapest, to Japan, railway Moscow, Trans-Siberia the along Vienna, Milan, 1962, Paris, London, September Wiesbaden in in have aworld made tour, concert starting 1964 by we well will goes all if later, More but about this with. now working Iam that etc. writers, ers, compos artist[s], of young of [an] letterhead organization the is “This rote. and mechanical be would appearance its as even indeterminate, and unpredictable outcome performance’s be would the that ensured rolls machine of adding- random use throat.” The clear 4, lips; see smack “see 3, digit: aparticular registered they time each gesture ascripted executing line, by line of numbers columns its scanned and paper adding-machine Olivetti Adriano to Memoriam Maciunas’s In performed together von Heine Alemann friend Schmit’s and , Jed Curtis, Paik, Caspari, for example, At Taylorist efficiency. with “Après Cage,” John indeterminacy Cagean infuse that structures Maciunas’s compositions to rigid early adhere but significant. metaphor subtle are of this implications The “automatic an machine.” of composition task to designing the likened 23 (New York: Zone Books, 2008), 59–108. 59–108. 2008), Books, York: Zone (New History) (A Minor Cage after the and Syndicate: Dream the Beyond in Turn,” Social “The W. Joseph, Branden 265–85; 2006), Press, Michigan of (University Rouse John Performance Avant-Garde of Foundations Transnational The Garde: Avant- Other the Not in Fluxus,” of Transnationalisms Three Crossings: “Border Higgins, Hannah See art. post-Cage of turn” “social the to them related has Joseph Branden ism.” “transnational its flagging thus membership, dispersed Fluxus’s among respondence cor the thematized and internalized dedications these that argued has Higgins Hannah B. Mrs. Mr. and to Patterson Benjamin Among the little groups that formed in the wake of Cage’s wake travels, the in formed groups that little the Among Shortly after “Après after parents: Shortly John to his Cage,” wrote Patterson . Each held a discarded roll of Olivetti of roll Olivetti held adiscarded . Each A. Patterson, June 26, 1962, I.1005, AS. I.1005, 1962, 26, June Patterson, A. 23 No Fluxus yearbooks were yearbooks No Fluxus , ed. James Harding and and Harding James , ed. - - 24 -

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68 a r t m a r g i n s 7 : 3 ous flow.”ous copi stream; and a stream,” “3. of as aflowing on or passing, moving A continuous “2. including, Fluxus, for definitions dictionary several opened with an explanation of its own exigency: exigency: of own its explanation an with opened No. 1,” which May In 1962, he sent outrandum. “News-Policy-Letter the memo format: paperwork to aspecific recourse made Maciunas 27 26 25 , Paik, as such Europe, in contacts new to Japan—and cated relo who recently had Toshifrom York—including New Ichiyanagi, acombination of coeditors, collaborators of roster Fluxus’s the off set abox coverAt left, onpage. the recipients its listed memorandum The to us.” mandatory almost magazine the in inclusion their makes we think work poetry in cant signifi “Your very Williams. to Emmett etc.,” Maciunas ture[,] wrote litera music, art, to [a] devoted in tide new periodical international an to publish effort our in participation esteemed your to request like “We would contributors. enlisted Maciunas letterhead, Fluxus On mail. the compilation of and scores via Maciunas’s was gathering receiving etc.” on sidewalks children by drawn lines tables, [ rulled lines, dividing street like Monte encountered, Young lines or other any of La or lines line drawn previously possible the as away well as wash or to “erase, scrape interpreter the It follow and invited it”). line straight a (“Draw #10 of 1960 Young’sto follow Composition performances 1962) devised 12, was Young Monte (January La to Maciunas’s Homage 1962). 12, (January Higgins Dick to 1962) 2, Homage and (January No. 1. be will this of which periodically printed “News-Policy-Letters” from now on to issue it foundnecessary is postage, ofcost letter George Maciunas, “News-Policy Letter No. 1,” May 21, 1962, V.A.1.42, GLS. GLS. V.A.1.42, 1962, 1,” No. 21, May Letter “News-Policy Maciunas, George 1961. 16, December Williams, to Maciunas JBP). (hereafter, Angeles Los Institute, Research Getty Papers, Brown Jean I.562, 1961, 16, December Williams, Emmett to Maciunas George typing all there [ there all typing in consumed collaborators, time (3) YearbookFLUXUS festival and of number (2) in events, increase to:Due (1) changing rapidly output, as letters. streamline To “copiousmaterialized flow” This The “postal-historical a priori” for this structure of sending and and of sending structure for this apriori” “postal-historical The sic ] paper or score lines, lines on sports fields, lines on gaming gaming on lines fields, on sports or lines ] paper score lines, 26 27

sic ] developments to separately,each and (4) high 25 The prospectus he sent to Williams listed listed he sent to Williams prospectus The - - ­ - - Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021 resources. of military amisuse was Force, worked Air forFluxus the Maciunas as so long circumstances: memorandum’s at the gon hinted surrounding jar of appropriation martial minor This bases. army through culated cir statements for official term letter”—a policy “information off riffed which title, document’s the was memorandum from atypical ture Mathieson Chemical Corporation in the 1950s. the in Corporation Chemical Mathieson Olin at the adesigner as prepared had Maciunas that reports of the administration.” for Fluxus Maciunas, “George as off He signed concerts. and publications for upcoming plans out his laid Maciunas pages, fourteen document’s the Over Cage. of course, and, Patterson, Cardew, Williams, Cornelius Fill[i]ou, Robert Manzoni, Piero Rot, Diter Stockhausen, Karlheinz Kagel, Mauricio Gyorgi Ligeti, Morris, Robert , Halprin, Anna others, with[in] these 2 months PLENTY OF post.” BULKparcel by PLENTY 2months these with[in] York. WiesbadenNew and Tobetween Young, “[S]end he wrote, volume of exchange the to increase opportunity the seized Maciunas and Josefand Patkowski. rags—anything by parcel post.” parcel by rags—anything old Times, NY bulk—send “Just any he requested, brothers, Mekas his address so don’t ever send anything via him.” via so don’t address his send anything ever using doesn’t Iam know guy even H.Q.Grieco, 7480, 633. “This APO Paul listed address envelope’s why his return explaining , to wrotesave to Maciunas a address lotpostage,” Poston Office] Air someone else’s [Army/ using “Iam APO communication. to facilitate rates office’s his access postal to exploited lower and travel, concert dize to subsi discounts of to copy gasoline scores, took advantage machines 33 32 31 30 29 28 The format of “News-Policy Letter No. 1” matched the template the No. matched 1” Letter of “News-Policy format The When a two-month assignment granted him direct APO access, APO direct him granted assignment When atwo-month George Maciunas to Jonas and Adolfas Mekas, March 27, 1962, V.A.1.20, GLS. V.A.1.20, 27, 1962, March Mekas, Adolfas and Jonas to Maciunas George GLS. V.A.1.49, 27, 1962, March Young, Monte La to Maciunas George GLS. V.A.1.22, 1962, 22, January Mekas, Jonas to Maciunas George 152–64. 2014), Press, University Stanford Presence of Genealogy the on Essays World: Technological the of Truth The in Equipment,” Military of AMisuse Music: “Rock Kittler, Friedrich See V.D.57,n.d., GLS. (MRL-59-PR),” System Wall Curtain Assembled “Site Maciunas, George see For instance, 29–32. 2005), Press, University Rutgers NJ: Brunswick, (New York New in Artists Women Japanese Performance: Into Yoshimoto, Midori See 1962. of fall the in place took Tudor that David and Cage John for tour aconcert organized then-wife his and he There, 1961. November in Japan to traveled Ichiyanagi 30 Maciunas requisitioned mimeographs and diazotype diazotype and mimeographs requisitioned Maciunas 28 A much longer column at right included, among among included, at longercolumn right Amuch 33 Maciunas justified his request by his request justified Maciunas , trans. Erik Butler (Stanford: (Stanford: Butler Erik , trans. 29 The one major The depar 31

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70 a r t m a r g i n s 7 : 3 mitted instructions to “act in accordance.” to “act in instructions mitted trans that regni instrumenti services, courier imperial in originated machinery.” from its Republic, of the life from the withdrawal, “a calculated as who out opted of US mail of citizens dence for across-section correspon to handle came United States, where to the they mid-1800s the in transferred Holy Empire, the then Roman monopoly during postal Taxis and Thurn the challenged that Trystero, couriers to the “Use amag- lettering. millimeters-high to fastidious, handwriting his whenever he shrank pleaded thrift However, also Maciunas and communication was otherwise historically accurate. historically otherwise was communication and of empire Pynchon’s exploration Siegert, to Bernhard according but, 39 38 37 36 35 34 on postage.” Young,saving glass,” he “Iam wrote nifying ­ to APO’s cheap,” “It’s low cost. very pointing he exclaimed. giants of the aerospace of industry.” the giants the theof “one Corporation, of Yoyodyne delivery interoffice the routed through service mail WASTE, uncovers asecret Maas Oedipa book’sthe protagonist Narciso, of San town California fictional the to avisit (1965). 49 Lot of During Crying novel The his of writing course the in mail of diversion military extensive awildly imagined APO— via concerts Fluxus first the coordinating was Maciunas when of time period same the who—during Pynchon, Thomas look to we can For 1960s. early this, the in delivery sions of mail dimen political and psychic the establish we must channels, postal mailings. bulk over excitement his nor explain it adequately does penmanship, account for Maciunas’s cannot alone performative zeal pinching the state: both constituted, and were constituted by, subjects. These by, These were constituted and subjects. constituted, both state: the moreover, and, post of the understanding anew marked population, to the sovereign from the patronage, in shift correspondence. This to convey private Post permission Taxis the granted Netherlands the Siegert, Relays Siegert, 49 Lot of Crying Pynchon, 49 Lot of Crying Pynchon, 15. 1999), PereniaI, York: Harper (New 49 Lot of Crying The Pynchon, Thomas GLS. V.A.1.49, 1962, 3, July Young, Monte La to Maciunas George 27, 1962. March Mekas, Adolfas and Jonas to Maciunas The Trystero’s “800-year tradition of postal fraud” was a fiction, afiction, was fraud” of postal tradition Trystero’sThe “800-year To articulate a rationale for Maciunas’s arationale to overload desire To articulate 37

, 7. , 79. , 101. 36 Her sleuthing traces WASTE traces back Her sleuthing 39 In 1600, the viceroy of viceroy the 1600, In 38 35 The mail mail The Penny- 34

­ - - Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021 41 44 43 42 ber. The government will open it if you use the other.” the you it use if open will government ber. The activated. been Republic—had of the machinery the call might what Pynchon penned the word “Soviet” over the masthead. over the word the “Soviet” penned and to Mekas prospectus Fluxus aprinted when he mailed mind in another character says, “but my guess is it’s is my amute.” “but guess says, character another “Itridiculous,” bell.” out ofsounds of the coming sort doojigger little “extra an as describes Maas Oedipa that lines additional afew with only coat of arms, Thurn-and-Taxis WASTE the in logo horn resembles the 49 Lot of Crying In predicament. postal to this resistance imagined differently Maciunas and how Pynchon reveal Two drawings small regni instrumenti as function their no interrupted way correspondence in routes to private of courier The opening Force Wiesbaden. of Air offices to the and California complex of Southern industrial military to the connection Republic—its of the machinery the place in service’s postal record.public of amatter was interception and of surveillance instrument an as sion of a postal horn, directly beneath a request that they mail him him mail they that arequest beneath directly horn, sion of apostal ver- own his doodled Maciunas Knowles, Alison and Higgins Dick “every letter writer was a subject of posting.” asubject was writer letter “every state’sthe Siegert, monopoly on over discourse,” power writes defined had mail of the use power. state “Once compulsory within were now inscribed affairs) their and individuals (both “subjects” 40 Un-American Activities Committee. Activities Un-American the House to forwarded latersurreptitiously were recipients identified of self- Lists request. addressee’s at only the formal delivered be ganda propa communist that stipulation the bill on to apostal-rates tacked legislators 1962, In red-baiting pamphlets. of abolitionist circulation the the over 1800s in debates with beginning fights, proxy political for grounds as regulations postal treated routinely States, Congress Crying of Lot 49 Lot of Crying Pynchon, Crying of Lot 49 Lot of Crying Pynchon, 1962. 22, January Mekas, to Maciunas 155–60. 1977), Press, Georgia of University (Athens: Office Post the and Congress Unmailable: Fowler, Ganfield Dorothy Siegert, Relays Siegert, “Write by WASTE,” Oedipa hears a mother tell her son. “Remem- tell amother WASTE,” by hears “Write Oedipa What Pynchon and Maciunas shared is an understanding of the of the understanding an is shared Maciunas and What Pynchon . Any act of communication could lead to conscription or capture. or capture. lead could to conscription of communication act . Any , 53. , 100. , 77. 42 Perhaps Maciunas had this this had Perhaps Maciunas 40 43 The postal apparatus— postal The The Post Office’s role The 44 In a letter to aletter In 41 In the United the In , the , the - 71 71 Chamberlain | Geor g e M a c iunas and the M a i l Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021

72 a r t m a r g i n s 7 : 3 own, unpublicized, private.” unpublicized, own, their was withdrawal vote, loopholes, this of simple their ignorance, power to the out of hate, indifference them denied being was else “Whatever machinery. correspondence from its their removing by state the protested plurality Adisaffected of refusal. silent a strategy mute WASTE signified over the the horn For Pynchon, apparatus. regni instrumenti and instruments wedged. firmly is horn the which between of cheeks, ass apair as read, unmistakably, mouthpiece that side ofon the either curves matching two lines: extra emblem, Maciunas’s bears horn 46 45 OF BULK SOLIDS. ANYTHING.” “PLENTY Crying of Lot 49 Lot of Crying Pynchon, AS. Correspondence, Higgins Dick 1962, March Knowles, Alison and Higgins Dick to Maciunas George Both drawings presuppose the metaphoric link between musical musical between link metaphoric the presuppose drawings Both , 101. 46 By contrast, Maciunas advocated direct direct advocated Maciunas Bycontrast, , between postal horn and postal postal and horn postal , between 45

Like the WASTE the Like George Maciunas. Drawing of reimagined postal Illustration: the post horn “Trystero” horn, 1962. Detail from letter to and symbol from The Crying of Lot 49 by , March 1962. bpk Bildagentur/ Thomas Pynchon. Copyright © 1965, 1966 Staatsgalerie Stuttgart/Art Resource, NY. Image by Thomas Pynchon. Copyright renewed courtesy of Billie Maciunas. 1993, 1994 by Thomas Pynchon. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers and Melanie Jackson Agency. Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021 tems with word of Fluxus. with tems sys and communication transportation city’s the flooding by events for future anticipation build would that of &disruption” “sabotage campaign asummertime outlined newsletter NYC,” in the Fluxus as concretism. as interference and of blockage strategies identified had Cage,” Maciunas At “Après clamps. and John clothespins with double-bass on his attack Patterson’s to Ben of abuse amusic instrument—akin the as deliveries for request bulky his portrayed doodle scatological His tampering. 51 50 49 48 47 No. 5.” Let[t]er News “Fluxus in Only),”appellation to ageneral Festival No. 2(Fluxus “News-Policy-Letter in series of No. aconcert 1,” title to the Letter “News-Policy in of aperiodical name from the application: its shifted word the “Fluxus” memoranda, out further mailed Maciunas As S Post return, laying the groundwork for a Fluxus Festival that fall. that Festival groundwork for aFluxus the laying return, own his come to York. New already planning back was Now Maciunas had concerts, Europe of the alumni Patterson, and Knowles, Higgins, in Wiesbaden, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Paris, and Düsseldorf. and Paris, Copenhagen, Wiesbaden,Amsterdam, in year, preceding over the organized had Maciunas concerts in featured or composers were performers No. 1, but all nearly than recipients No. 6, 1963, 6,” fewer had April dated Letter News-Policy “Fluxus strategies across an entire city, he would call them sabotage. them city,call he would entire an across strategies of local newspapers would count down the days until the festival’s the until days the countdown would newspapers of local “clog editions “prepared” would up” subway cars; some instruments cumber and signage and bridges; tunnels at traffic halt would posters Under the heading “Proposed Propaganda Action for Nov[ember] Action Propaganda “Proposed Under heading the Maciunas, “Fluxus News-Policy Letter No. 6.” No. Letter News-Policy “Fluxus Maciunas, 6.” No. Letter News-Policy “Fluxus Maciunas, V.F.9, 1963, 6, GLS. 6,” No. April Letter News-Policy “Fluxus Maciunas, George V.F.9, 1963, 1, GLS. January 5,” No. Let[t]er News “Fluxus Maciunas, V.F.8, George GLS; 1962, 12, July Only),” Festival 2(Fluxus No. “News-Policy-Letter Maciunas, George See 72. 2008): 33 (Fall Room Grey 1960s,” the of Art the in Design Performative Producer: as “Maciunas Robinson, Julia 112; 1990–1962 Motus, Ibi Fluxus Ubi in Fluxus,” Late Fluxus, during Pre-Fluxus, Vanguard: the of “Mutations Flynt, Henry see humor, toilet Maciunas’s of discussion For further piano. aprepared in nails and tacks the to equivalents as body ailing an of sneezes and coughs the designated which 1962), 4, (January Man Sick for Solo score the likely is function corporeal and concretism of merger direct most Maciunas’s flux). (i.e., shitting and constipation with preoccupation well-known his to connects also blockage of ameans as concretism in interest Maciunas’s abotage 47 The following year, when he advocated deploying these these year, when hedeploying advocated following The 48 Fluxus had become a means of address. of address. become ameans had Fluxus 51 Trucks and automobiles bearing Fluxus Fluxus automobiles and bearing Trucks , ed. Achille Bonito Oliva (Milan: Mazzotta, 1990), 1990), Mazzotta, (Milan: Oliva Bonito Achille , ed. 50

49

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74 a r t m a r g i n s 7 : 3 enjoyed greater consensus than it did. than enjoyed consensus greater culture” “serious against stance Flynt’s that assumed had Maciunas From Wiesbaden, “No More and Center!” Art!” Lincoln “Demolish reading signs with York New the and Philharmonic of Art, Museum Metropolitan the Art, of Modern Museum the agroupled to picket had prior months who two Flynt, of Henry rhetoric from the heavily borrowed newsletter the First, judgment. in errors to two attributed be shutter museums on Fluxus concert days. concert on Fluxus museums shutter to bomb threats in calling to suggest as so far going Schmit with 56 55 54 53 52 museums. outside crowd sidewalks would #10 1960 Young’s Composition Monte of La group performances and entrances, theater block of rentable bric-a-brac would deliveries large concerts, derail would Sneeze bombs targets. were primary institutions Cultural kickoff. ried out.”ried car is stuff this if none to and participate intends letter, of us that [of] York], New [in who’s for Flynt, approves except pr[a]ecox, got dementia here “Not onepeople of Wrote the of recipients. its Higgins, majority the among resistance generated that tinge terrorist newsletter’s the (if funds were to help available) un funds (if prefer Iw[oul]d things clogging than “Rather he added, alternative, tive meantto help are activities whompeople my cultural very to the &hurtful antisocial of being sense basic the in & immoral unethical unprincipled, “Iconsider them all-caps. underline-riddled in he typed disruption,” &needless sabotage all however, against George Maciunas Correspondence, AS. Correspondence, Maciunas George n.d., Flynt, Henry and Maciunas George to Brecht George both.” them to indifference an and example, for art, of aspect an as anti-art Isee whereas etc.) Culture, Serious (Art, both or pernicious, or obsolete are feel you institutions actively very oppose to necessary it feel to seem both “You Maciunas, and Flynt to writing discrepancy, this out pointed self him Brecht culture. official of rejection aquasi-militant as position his viewed however, Flynt, Only institutions. art of frame the outside operated that experience aesthetic of models advanced Brecht and Flynt both that recognizing in correct was Maciunas artist. significant most Fluxus’s be to considered Maciunas whom Brecht, George of those with positions Flynt’s conflated he because part in influence Flynt’s overestimated Maciunas JBP. I.31.14, 1963, 25, April Tomas Schmit, and Maciunas George to Low Mac Jackson JBP. 1963), I.55.13, (ca. n.d. Williams, Emmett to Higgins Dick AS. 277, 1963), Box spring (ca. World,” n.d. the Town in Biggest the for Activities “Some Tomas Schmit, 6.” No. Letter News-Policy “Fluxus Maciunas, Here, clearly, Maciunas’s address had gone awry. This failure can can failure Here, clearly, Maciunas’s gone had This address awry. In response, Paik and Schmit submitted additional proposals, proposals, additional submitted Schmit and Paik response, In 54 The most vociferous objection came from Mac Low. came “Iam, objection vociferous most The 52

clog them.” clog 56 “I’m to serious not opposed 53 However, precisely it was 55

.” To aposi offer - - - Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021 Recalled Maciunas: Recalled Nothing as publicized cryptically event, closing its JohnsonRay staged day lease, of AG Gallery’s final the On of clogging. endorse acampaign his New that would confidence York his contacts have bolstered would tion that informed Johnson’s informed York New that tion own School Correspondence participa generosity, democratic and unmotivated forwarding, frequent exchange, of ongoing principles The promulgated. practice his ethics for the part large in art, of mail histories place in aprivileged occupies but he nevertheless post, the via work distribute to artist first the hardly Johnson was Higgins. Dick them among of recipients, circle a wide to proto-Pop collages late 1950s, the in he took to mailing Beginning deliveries. bulky with doorways theater to block proposal sabotage precedent for the viable gallery—a the into entry impeding dowels of wooden pile the emphasized recollection His lesson from Nothing. adifferent derived Cage’s in silence 4'33" bracketed to the akin attentiveness, Nothing framed of “attitude” & consider my own work is a genuine contribution to it.” contribution work& consider agenuine my is own contrary,” Mac Low. the wrote “I’m for it &Ihope all culture—quite 59 58 57 of Cage. legacy the Kaprow, with line in and of Allan milieu from the apart them setting rhetorically ,” to a opposed as “an as attitude them He described later organized. Johnson “Nothings” several of first the was eventat AGThe Gallery (1977): 238. (1977): 3 no. 36, Journal . ,” Art Objects and Drawings, Postcards, Letters, “Send in Quoted History.” “Fluxus Maciunas, 1963. 25, April Schmit, and Maciunas to Low Mac supply of dowels that we could turn over at the top of the stair. top over of at the the turn we could supply of that dowels inexhaustible sincewethis had down sliding were all They up. one get could not and asingle coming audience kept [T]he . incline. asmall like dowels, those covered with was whole stair the over so that them turned . and dowels of little barrel a large bring Johnson is WhatRay did stairs. the in were no lights there so dark, already it was scheduled was evening the time the by and second up floor going to the stair narrow the had gallery Now the at AG concerts Gallery hosting Second, Maciunas’s experience is best known as the nominal father of mail art. art. of mail father nominal the as known Johnson best Ray is ’s absence of activity as an occasion for occasion an as ’s absence of activity 59 Johnson’s invocation 57 . Maciunas . Maciunas 58 . - 75 Chamberlain | Geor g e M a c iunas and the M a i l Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021

76 a r t m a r g i n s 7 : 3 62 61 60 t time at agiven system communications the by transmitted signals that “is Siegert, means,” writes this “What of communication. theory mathematical Shannon’s to Claude according calculated be could one that system, information aclosed into service postal the turned had dardizations stan other and moment stamps of implementation prepaid when the the less than nothing marks dream Kafka’s that argues Siegert passage, this Bauer. Analyzing Felice fiancée, his toward directed Kafka of correspondence that barrage the in appears dream This Kafka’s: of Franz resembles adream so vividly stairway of Maciunas’s Nothing memory that then, coincidental, than Perhaps it more is Hungary. in archive” “active Artpool Klaniczay’s Júlia Györgyand and Poland, Galántai’s in NET Kostołowki’s Andrzej and Kozłowski’s Jarosław FILE and Canada, in Bank Image by maintained lists distribution the California, in West” activities Friedman’s of “Fluxus Ken rules unwritten the in discernable are factors in the system of communication itself.” of communication system the in factors of afunction as instead people—but of other understanding for the ing let’s of look or say, people receiver—not, intentions expressions the as tinguishing between Johnson’s mail art and Maciunas’s postal tactics. Maciunas’s and Johnson’s postal art between mail tinguishing dis in instructive nevertheless are but they theory, media of German matter. of printed volume undifferentiated an processing nowto another, acircuit it was from one individual transmitted letters conceived be discrete could as Siegert, Relays Siegert, Quoted in Siegert, Relays Siegert, in Quoted (Malden, MA: Polity Press, 2011), 124–26. 2011), Press, Polity MA: (Malden, Media the and Kittler Winthrop-Young, Geoffrey see followers, his and Kittler to attributed excesses rhetorical the of For adiscussion rustling sound. rustling agreat creating paper resilient read, the Ihad pages heaped loosely the with from top to bottom littered was whole staircase The envelopes. out of the more order letters in to take stairs over the read Ihad all page the to throw . had and of stairs up aflight halfway standing Iwas emptied. never envelopes the but page, after out page pulling Ikept letters! were magic they . God, from you. letters registered two brought A mailman Siegert’s assertions hum with the antihumanist hyperbole typical typical hyperbole antihumanist the with hum Siegert’s assertions , 99. n are not viewed as the function of a data source or of adata function the as not are viewed 60 , 98. , 98. 61 Whereas once the mail Whereas mail once the ’s flooded - - - 62

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021 performed by during fluxus street theatre [ street fluxus Vautier Ben by during performed Monte reads, “La Young: caption Composition 1960 No.The 10 just VTRE cc newspaper Fluxus of issue the an in image the published #10 1960 Composition Young’s including sidewalks, scores on city several to perform Street 1964,Vautier took to Canal March In Knowles and executed. ever evident from his sabotage proposals: sabotage from his evident is as manipulated, overloaded be or could otherwise that system cal atechni as functioned service postal to how the attention greater paid Maciunas Bycontrast, people. of other promise) understanding of the Johnson’s (and premise on the rested of circulation, practice ditions con their acknowledged collages individual his of whether Regardless 65 64 63 Flynt. and Mac by Low counterproposals the as well as Paik, and Schmit by made proposals sabotage No. the 7,” where he summarized Letter News out “Fluxus he mailed month, following The newsletter. another yet prepared Maciunas newsletter, sabotage his by created To rift collectivity. mend the upon it for depended maintaining still fee. postage a exact and at adestination arrive inevitably would package laden brick- each system, the into protocols. inserted Once of postal bility inflexi- utter the presumed plan His system. communication the were in simply factors they individuals; reading and writing nated Maciunas’sIn no “receiver” “sender” longerdesig- and scheme, did—partly).” “(which it adding, wryly discussion, to provoke only nated further dissemi No. it been had 6” that insisted Letter and “News-Policy by triggered “considerable the misunderstanding” acknowledged He then receiver would be bound to pay for these “packages.” to pay for bound these be receiver would “sender” or Either museums. hall, concert galleries, various 7.” No. Letter News “Fluxus Maciunas, 7,” V.F.9, No. 1963, 1, May GLS. Letter News “Fluxus Maciunas, George 6.” No. Letter News-Policy “Fluxus Maciunas, Of all Maciunas’s propaganda-action proposals, only one was one only was proposals, Maciunas’s propaganda-action all Of artists etc. bearing no stamps & bearing as as [ as as &bearing no stamps bearing etc. artists galleries, newspapers, to various addressed etc.) bricks heavy (containing packages of thousands with boxes postal Stuffing 3. Even as he plotted to exploit the post’s vulnerabilities, Maciunas Maciunas vulnerabilities, post’s the to exploit heEven as plotted 65 . Maciunas photographed the event and later later eventand photographed the . Maciunas sic ] return address address ] return sic 63 ] being ] being 64

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78 a r t m a r g i n s 7 : 3 68 67 66 ensemble. music aTokyo-based of Group Ongaku, part as Center Art Sogetsu at concert his she playedin after Ichiyanagi, of her work via learned He first post. the via for Shiomi Fluxus recruited had 1965. Maciunas No. 1in Poem composition her collaborative Spatial devised Shiomi (later Mieko) Chieko until correlate no visual but itdents, possessed correspon to its self-evident was dispersal transcontinental Fluxus’s I Post spectator.” [a] by uniformed terminated Saito’s Moore’s Jersey, New Barbara in “MELT” “ENVELOPE” or with Takako with read tandem be in could Copenhagen in “PRESENT” Andersen’s Eric earth. the around Shiomi’s apoem score stretched onkept file. Maciunas addresses to ahundred-odd arequest 1965, she mailed policemen. policemen. one: undesirable an audience, anew albeit Fluxus gained indeed (1964). Games and Events her own including editions, Fluxus to prepare Maciunas worked with and Gallery Square at Washington Fluxfest Perpetual the in ticipated Shiomi’s to New There, subsidized shepar flight Yorkin which 1964. copies, he ordered work additional ten that the so admired Maciunas (1963), assembly Box ofcontainers. paper doll-like aRussian Endless Into Performance Into Yoshimoto, See JBP. I.31.41, 1962,” 21 Jan Letter, His Ichiyanagi, “Toshi Maciunas, George See file. card his in Shiomi of recommendation Ichiyanagi’s recorded Maciunas (1962) 2 Inches Watts’s Robert I(1961) and Anima Kosugi’s Takehisa performing Knowles and Vautier of photographs are reproduced Also Angeles. Los Institute, Research Getty Collection, 6) No. VTRE (cc TouRnamEnt Vaudeville Maciunas, George Chieko Shiomi Chieko [ participants sent to every be on aworld of will them map, which chart tion adistribu- make wordIcan your me place know and so that Let somewhere. Write a word (or placeand words) it card enclosed on the No. I POEMS SPATIAL OF SERIES A ndetermina 67 Later, Paik encouraged Shiomi to send Maciunas her to send Maciunas Shiomi encouraged Later, Paik . sic ]. c y 68 Shortly before returning to July Japan in before returning Shortly , 139–67. 66 Staging outdoor concerts outdoor concerts Staging , July 1965, Jean Brown Brown Jean 1965, , July - - at the office in New York. Shiomi charted these contributions in an “object poem,” a foam-board map stuck with pins, each waving a small paper flag that indicated, on one side, a given word, and, on the other, its location. The pins clustered over North America, Europe, and Japan. A few flags stood in the ocean, represent- ing guesses at the whereabouts of words in perpetual transit, including “LOVE JOE SHIOMI” (inside Filliou’s wallet) and Maciunas’s “CARD” (inserted in a bottle and tossed into the Hudson). That same year, Cage—who deposited “EGG” at Stony Point, New York—published the first installment of “Diary: How to Improve the

World (You Will Only Make Matters Worse),” a mosaic of anecdotes and . Spatial Poem No. 1 , 1965. Ink on board with licensed by SCALA/Art Resource, NY. © 2018 Mieko Shiomi. licensed by SCALA/Art Resource, NY. with cardboard box. Digital image © Museum of Modern Art, observations written in the alternating typefaces of an IBM Selectric. sixty-nine offset cards mounted on pins, and typewriting paper The text chronicles Cage’s attempts to ascertain the number of utilities now “global in extent.”69 Cage had inherited from Marshall McLuhan and Buckminster Fuller a technophilic confidence that the worldwide expansion of electricity, telephone, and other services would ameliorate social conditions and reduce competition for resources. The image

69 John Cage, “Diary: How to Improve the World (You Will Only Make Matters Worse) 1965,” in A Year from Monday: New Lectures and Writings (Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 1967), 4.

79

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80 a r t m a r g i n s 7 : 3 74 enthused. Maciunas in confusion!” up gummed all being Post Office the see can “I overload. system causing with than demand customer fulfilling less to had do with calculation This athousand. ommend printing er’s) to Vautier’s Maciunas’s intentions. contribution to rec idea was of author’s its completes composition independently (or the that send “automatic an into procedures machine” own post’s the converts tion card’s The construc indeterminacy. introducing by requirements those destabilizes Postman’s Choice The requirements. technical minimum reduces com apostcard address, an bearing stamp ity consisting ofstandards.” self-reference own to its consisting ity “a possesses material writes, Siegert Apostcard, system. postal entire se, but the per postcard not is the Postman’s Choice “medium” of The 73 72 71 70 where get we sent it.” it will something we mailed because just or stop assuming we should that Either services. done postal about the to be needs of “Diary,” “Something he noted: 1967 installment the wires. cables, and pipes, in enmeshed to way one give would boundaries national by divided of aglobe understands the medium and he uses the medium for his piece.” for his medium the he and uses medium the understands he used, is card post “Now the post. approach to the functionalist his addresses? for two destined of apostcard appeal Whataccounted for the nothing. said Maciunas proposals, four other the copies. Of athousand to heprint asked Immediately responded. “This doublefaced postcard is [a] is doublefaced WONDERFUL postcard PIECE!!!” “This in that 1965. onesent Vautier to Maciunas of five ideas postcards for Postman’s conceit Choice forCage’s The underlying complaint the is at destination. its arrive not always will words, a letter other In Shiomi’s map, only scattered coordinates arranged into a network of anetwork into Shiomi’s arranged coordinates map, scattered only across run boundaries No national communication. global frictionless undone indeterminacy. by be could apparatus postal The bricks. Maciunas to Vautier, January 10, 1966. 10, January Vautier, to Maciunas Siegert, Relays Siegert, 198. Maciunas,” George with “Interview Miller, GLS. V.A.1.40, 1966, 10, January Vautier, Ben to Maciunas George Monday 1967,” AYearfrom in Continued Worse) Matters Make Only World Will (You the Improve Howto “Diary: Cage, John Cage’s faith in worldwide services had its limits, however. In limits, its had worldwide services in Cage’s faith Years later, in his final interview, Maciunas praised praised Vautier for Maciunas interview, Years final later, his in seems at first to affirm Cage’s vision of affirm to at first seems Shiomi’s Poem Spatial 74 No need for concretist clogging with rags or wrapped-up or wrapped-up rags with clogging for No need concretist , 154. , 150. munication to its to its ­munication 73 Essentially a Essentially 71 Maciunas Maciunas 70

72 The The ­ , - - - Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021 escape. escape. ensure to were taken measures of course, capture—unless, risked mission of trans act power, of every state and bore traces letter conduit. Every aneutral never was post the on telecommunication, outlook philic to Cage’s techno contradistinction in yet, Fluxus, sustained post The post. the into entry verso, of and Fluxus’s recto sides, the two the strate clogging. cause quantities, cient or,suffi office in dead letter upthe in wind could They intercepted. Postman’s Choice The Like addresses. to nonexistent were mailed ON CARD” THIS IM WRITING WORDS IS WHAT ELEVEN Tomas and MORE” “EXACTLY Schmit’s Meyer’s “ONE Tonga. William Both toJersey London to Nukualofa, from New progress its to track authorities” postal knowledgeable with “checking PRINCESS,”MYSTERY Watts suggested Robert “HUNGARIAN phrase the For conditions. bearing piece’s acard postal to Japan. she returned after componentsand to other Shiomi flags, pins, sent its Maciunas post: the produced via was itself object-poem Even the mail. the through score shuttled was of Shiomi’s part globe-spanning howlooks every gesture enacted within a fixed time frame. time afixed within enacted gesture on asingle variations it catalogs experience; shared emphasizes Poem Spatial that argues Higgins Hannah exchange. correspondence and 75 underway: of apiece currently recipients its from May apprised 1975, newsletter, One to arrive. tinued 1970s, late 1960s and Maciunas’s con the missives Letter—throughout to FluxNews- Newsletter, to Fluxus Letter, News-Policy From Fluxus Combat Post Higgins, “Border Crossings,” 270–74. Crossings,” “Border Higgins, together demon- together Postman’s Choice The No. 1and Poem Spatial to the attention call did Poem to Spatial contributions A few marshals and policemen armed with clubs. clubs. with armed policemen and marshals frustrated and 4angry warrants, search of Maciunas, for arrest warrant friends, of his interrogation friends, his all and Maciunas of to weapons: some General’s 30 subpoenas arsenal a) Attorney (& PROGRESS) IN BY POLICE) GEORGE (EVENT MACIUNAS YORK NEW STATE ATTORNEY COMBATFLUX WITH , they could go astray, not arrive, or be or be go astray, could not arrive, , they 75 Such a reading over- areading Such - - - - 81 Chamberlain | Geor g e M a c iunas and the M a i l Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021

82 a r t m a r g i n s 7 : 3 77 76 Woosterat Street. 141 Cooperative Fluxhouse for formed had the Maciunas corporation the Realty, Deal to Good pertaining for were information requests Ravetz Lawrence fromYork New General subpoenas Attorney thirty-odd The disappearing into the mail. mail. the into disappearing for evasion: tactic additional an introduced May 1975 newsletter The escape-hatch. an with apartment his equipped and blades guillotine frontwith his door He fortified mask. agorilla sporting of himself portrait in a mailed his photograph, he seeking was Ravetz’s office that Upon homonyms. learning Maciunas loose other and McCannon, Macanas, Ma Sin Kan, Macinnis, phone forout the Machuca, numbers resemble mine,” names typing phones.he wrote, these At least their and some names I include outto harass, of persons running obviously “Since you for are interrogation: candidates additional suggested tauntingly then and friends, his detaining by him to reach attempting for Ravetz admonished 1, Maciunas 1975, April dated aletter In aFluxKit for in inclusion trail paper resulting the collected and Wooster St. Meeting of October 18, 1974,” 1974, VI.A.41, GLS. VI.A.41, 1974,” 1974, 18, October of Meeting St. Wooster 141 Corp Realty Deal Good of “Stockholders Maciunas, George See certificates. stock sell or deal to not injunction an under time atthe was Maciunas and prospectus, mal afor lacked Realty Deal Good inquiries: General’s Attorney the behind circumstances the explains cooperative Street Wooster 141 the for meeting astockholder of minutes The V.F.15, GLS. 1975, 3, May Newsletter,” “Flux Maciunas, George escape etc.) escape photos and of hatches and doors photos, photos of various guise dis (copies of Maciunas by letters, published be eventwill of this from New combat flight (possibly York State) documentation this of termination After flux-fortress. departing and entering in precautions [V]arious systems. alarm warning [V]arious etc. vaults floors, to other leading tunnels and hatches door,each escape real behind messages [F]unny etc. extracts smell powder, liquids, white with backed or filled hatches, ceiling doorsand trick and doors, dummy pipe braces, camouflaged steel reinforced with out, facing blades cutting giant with doors unbreakable various police: & marshals away (for the keeping fortress Flux General. Att. sent to disguises photos etc.) of these mask, head, gas bandaged masks, (gorilla disguises various General, to Attorney letters ing sneer and of weapons: humorous, insulting arsenal B) Maciunas’ The strategy behind “flux combat” was to avoid being addressed. addressed. to was avoid being combat” “flux behind strategy The 76 77 Maciunas declared the confrontation an “event” “event” an confrontation the declared Maciunas . - - - Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021 large population centers its ideaswere centers its not practical.” population large the in because up busted finally century 19th the alot quite in did that United States the in anarchism lovely movement of philosophical “The he stated: interview, same the In situation. concert the past extended request: written 82 81 80 79 78 you’re telephoning, turning on/off the lights, drinking water,” he wrote drinking on/off lights, the you’re turning telephoning, you when as are same worldwide. “I’m relations power anarchist, an for leveling potential nascent the utilities in to locate seemed Cage however, lectures, “Diary” the In policing. demanded density of urban political content, it and doesn’t policemen.” include political have some of art’s awareness artist an Ido as politics, in engage itinerary. imaginary an to chart stamps of cancelled value truth- the leveraging address, from afixed messages his detached Maciunas correspondents, international of his aid the With ients. recip- newsletter other to several requests related mailed Maciunas rows. into together score, acomposer’s packed an audience fixed through aconductor following conventions: concert musicians antiquated of circumstance” “policed the card’sthe recapitulated command For Cage, (1959) instructions. in Six Parts audience seating the to give Happenings Kaprow’sEighteen in decision reference in to Allan was moment.” “anarchist an he termed which concert, “un-policed” an achieve Kirby and Schechner, “Interview with John Cage,” 69. 69. Cage,” John with “Interview Schechner, and Kirby 69. Cage,” John with “Interview Schechner, and Kirby 69. Cage,” John with “Interview Schechner, and Kirby (1965): 69. Review Drama Tulane Cage,” John with “An Interview Schechner, Richard and Kirby Michael GLS. V.A.1.35, 1975, 3, May Shiomi, Mieko to Maciunas George Cage was skeptical as to whether his own principles could be be could principles own his to whether as skeptical was Cage him. confuse world. Absolutely over the from all do this Japan. Iwill in I am N.Y. in General look like to [the] Attorney Itit will to you to mail send then and amessage write for item 4(on side). other Iwill it Ineed postcard[?] ablank envelope an me in you mail Could Mieko, Dear ahand added copy Maciunas sent to Shiomi, newsletter the On In a 1965 interview, Cage stated, “Though Idon’t actively “Though stated, Cage a1965In interview, 80 Cage regarded his own composition methods as means to means as composition methods own his regarded Cage 81 78

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84 a r t m a r g i n s 7 : 3 89 88 87 86 85 84 their man.” their ever miss hardly they that is such oftelecommunication hailings at its destination. arrives always sovereign form.” sovereign than other anything in operate of that modes power with to terms to come or refusal utopian incapacity Cage’s as “ultimate characterized Joseph Branden has that spot blind surveillance—a police intensify might telecommunication expanded or how of conflict, instruments or objects become the themselves could or water fuel resources like the postal apparatus’s functions. designated postal the or repurposed or interrupted diversion of that gags blockage through 83 Kit. Flux- postponed indefinitely an into incorporation awaiting archives, Maciunas’s in remain composition. toaddressed Ravetz Many postcards Seychelles. the fromSiberia, a slew postcards of locations: sendexotic Antarctica, picture 1966 installment. the in Spatial Poem No. 1 Poem Spatial like was, Combat Flux list. mailing his police.” offorform address is consequently an the a in matter the existence our “Revealing Siegert. existence,” laws of writes human fundamental the access make doorslot to impossible the the in therefore is a violation of “To or to location. addressability atwithdraw a fixed mail to receiving riveted been has long subject of a legal definition The medium. postal addresses. and names, forgedhatches, false escape entries, fortified required 88 George Maciunas to , n.d. (ca. 1975), I.31.32, JBP. I.31.32, 1975), (ca. n.d. Spoerri, Daniel to Maciunas George JBP; I.30.42, 1975, 18, July Maciunas, George to Dreyfus Charles JBP; I.31.39, 1975), (ca. n.d. Maciunas, George to Vucicevic Branko see sent, being postcards of For mentions AS. 288, Box see Hungary, and Kingdom, United the Greece, France, Australia, from Ravetz to addressed For postcards GLS. V.B.1.194, 1975), (ca. “AG n.d. Event,” Maciunas, George 118. 2001), Press, Review York: Monthly (New Essays Other and Philosophy” and “Lenin in (1970) Investigation” an towards Notes Apparatuses: State Ideological and “Ideology Althusser, Louis Siegert, Relays Siegert, Beyond the Dream Syndicate Dream the Beyond in “Flicker,” W. Joseph, Branden A Year from Monday AYearfrom 1966,” in Continued Worse) Matters Make Only World Will (You the Improve Howto “Diary: Cage, John reveal that Maciunas had wanted to wanted had Maciunas that reveal Combat notes for Flux Planning For Maciunas, by contrast, an “un-policed” circumstance circumstance “un-policed” For an by contrast, Maciunas, Others were indeed mailed to the Attorney General’s office. Attorney to the mailed were indeed Others 85 Louis Althusser once claimed that a policeman’s call almost a policeman’s almost that once call claimed Althusser Louis Flux Combat Flux 86 Communication, however, could be tampered with, however, with, Communication, tampered could be 87 , 116. In practice, however, he obtained postcards through through postcards however, practice, he In obtained 84

testifies to his canny understanding of the of understanding canny his to testifies 83 His ebullience overlooked how utility overlooked how utility ebullience His

“Experience shows that the practical practical showsthe that “Experience , 53. , 53. , 337. , trans. Ben Brewster Brewster Ben , trans. , a collective , acollective

89

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/artm_a_00218 by guest on23 September 2021 Maciunas called it Fluxus. it Fluxus. called Maciunas the subterfuge had actually succeeded in curbing Ravetz’s pursuit.) curbing in succeeded actually had subterfuge the that Watts, suspected one(At Robert least of Maciunas’s associates, 91 90 distribution? distribution? their the of logic haveinterpreted officer on that amap. How might pins push with of origin points their marked and stamps canceled postcards’ these Perhaps some law examined assiduous of agent the body American you know.” American body head of the every harrows that to life, absence ofness, to the surprise exitless to the onto alternative even . maybe areal communicating truly are of Americans Xnumber “onto which by stumbled anetwork Crying of Lot 49 Lot of Crying Pynchon, Angeles. Los Institute, Research Getty Papers, Watts Robert 1, Folder 13 Box 1980, October Memories,” Maciunas “George Watts, Robert again.” from heard not were servers process the for worked have to seemed “It The Crying of Lot 49 Lot of Crying The In , 141. 91 , Oedipa Maas asks herself whether she has she has whether herself asks Maas , Oedipa Pynchon called that alternative WASTE. WASTE. alternative that called Pynchon 90 -

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