Destruction in Art Symposium
Encyclopedia
The Destruction in Art Symposium (DIAS) was a gathering of a diverse group of international artists, poets, and scientists to London
, from 9–11 September 1966. Included in this number were representatives of the counter-cultural underground who were there to speak on the theme of destruction in art.
The Honorary Committee, led by Gustav Metzger
, attracted the attention of both the international media and international art community to the symposium.
along with other Fluxus
artists including Yoko Ono
and Gustav Metzger constructed three large "Skoob Towers" out of books, which they called 'The laws of England', and set fire to them outside of the British Museum
.
The following artitsts are said to have participated in DIAS in absentia
:
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, from 9–11 September 1966. Included in this number were representatives of the counter-cultural underground who were there to speak on the theme of destruction in art.
The Honorary Committee, led by Gustav Metzger
Gustav Metzger
Gustav Metzger is an artist and political activist who developed the concept of Auto-Destructive Art and the Art Strike. Together with John Sharkey, he initiated the Destruction in Art Symposium in 1966...
, attracted the attention of both the international media and international art community to the symposium.
Objectives
A DIAS press release claimed:The laws of England
John LathamJohn Latham (artist)
John Aubrey Clarendon Latham, was a British conceptual artist who lived for many years in England. He believed that violence and conflict between the people of the world is the result of ideological differences...
along with other Fluxus
Fluxus
Fluxus—a name taken from a Latin word meaning "to flow"—is an international network of artists, composers and designers noted for blending different artistic media and disciplines in the 1960s. They have been active in Neo-Dada noise music and visual art as well as literature, urban planning,...
artists including Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
and Gustav Metzger constructed three large "Skoob Towers" out of books, which they called 'The laws of England', and set fire to them outside of the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.
Participants
The following artists were involved in DIAS:- Günter Brus
- John LathamJohn Latham (artist)John Aubrey Clarendon Latham, was a British conceptual artist who lived for many years in England. He believed that violence and conflict between the people of the world is the result of ideological differences...
- Yoko OnoYoko Onois a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
- Gustav MetzgerGustav MetzgerGustav Metzger is an artist and political activist who developed the concept of Auto-Destructive Art and the Art Strike. Together with John Sharkey, he initiated the Destruction in Art Symposium in 1966...
- Otto Mühl
- Barbara Steveni
- Peter WeibelPeter WeibelPeter Weibel is an artist, curator and theoretician.Raised in Upper Austria he started to study French and cinematography in Paris...
The following artitsts are said to have participated in DIAS in absentia
In absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
:
- Ivor DaviesIvor DaviesIvor Davies was a British Liberal Party activist and parliamentary candidate; journalist and United Nations Association administrator...
- Pro Diaz
- Al HansenAl HansenAlfred Earl "Al" Hansen was an American artist considered as one of the most important Fluxus figures. He was a Norwegian American....
- Fred Hunter
- Ralph OrtizRalph OrtizRaphael Montañez Ortiz is an American artist, educator, and founder of El Museo del Barrio. He is a graduate of Art and Design High School of New York City, and studied at Pratt Institute, where he began as a student of architecture, decided instead to become a fine artist, and received his BFA...
- Robin PageRobin PageRobin Page is a painter. He was one of the early members of the Fluxus art movement.-Biography:Page was born in England in 1932. His father, Peter Carter-Page, was a humorist and cartoonist who worked as an animator at the Disney studios in Hollywood in the 1930’s. The family moved to Canada...
- Jasia ReichardtJasia ReichardtJasia Reichardt is a British art critic, editor, curator, and gallery director with an interest in art and its intersection with other fields, especially technology.-Career:...
- Werner Schreib
- John Sharkey
- Hanns Sohm
- Biff Stevens
- Wolf VostellWolf VostellWolf Vostell was a German painter, sculptor, noise music maker and Happening artist of the second half of the 20th century. Wolf Vostell is considered one of the pioneers of video art, environment-sculptures, Happenings and the Fluxus Movement...
See also
- Anti-artAnti-artAnti-art is a loosely-used term applied to an array of concepts and attitudes that reject prior definitions of art and question art in general. Anti-art tends to conduct this questioning and rejection from the vantage point of art...
- Gustav MetzgerGustav MetzgerGustav Metzger is an artist and political activist who developed the concept of Auto-Destructive Art and the Art Strike. Together with John Sharkey, he initiated the Destruction in Art Symposium in 1966...
- Viennese ActionismViennese ActionismThe term Viennese Actionism describes a short and violent movement in 20th century art that can be regarded as part of the many independent efforts of the 1960s to develop "action art" . Its main participants were Günter Brus, Otto Mühl, Hermann Nitsch and Rudolf Schwarzkogler. As "actionists",...
- FluxusFluxusFluxus—a name taken from a Latin word meaning "to flow"—is an international network of artists, composers and designers noted for blending different artistic media and disciplines in the 1960s. They have been active in Neo-Dada noise music and visual art as well as literature, urban planning,...
- Kristine StilesKristine StilesKristine Stilesis an art historian specializing in global contemporary art. She has written extensively on performance art as well as on the themes of destruction, violence, and trauma in art. Stiles earned a B.A. in Art History from San Jose State University in California, and an M.A. and Ph.D...