Fluxus

In the first chapter of “Fluxus” by Hannah Higgins, a variety of work pertaining to movement known as Fluxus are mentioned. Many if not all of these involve something that distorts the audiences senses in some manner. The first of which were films known as “Eyeblink” and “Flicker” which purposely exhausted the optic nerve and muscles surrounding the eye. Another form was the invention of glasses that contained needles on the lenses facing inward to skewer the retina of any potential wearer. In addition to these sadistic innovations, a “Flux Smile Machine” was created and when placed in one’s mouth it “pinches the soft flesh of the inner cheek, gouges the gums, binds the lips, flattens the tongue; it scrapes against the enamel of the users’ teeth and sits awkwardly in the mouth”. Perhaps it is my own emotions affecting my judgment, but these forms of “art” seem more like torture, and are highly revolting.