THE STORY- once upon a time

In 2003, Fluxus artist Don Boyd and two of his former students, Jason Andrew Bowles and the late Crispin Webb (1977-2006), established their visual art studios in an abandoned factory building located in rural Fredericktown, Ohio – the proposed location of Open Fluxus Foundation. Boyd, director of Fluxus West since 1975, was featured in the1982 Young Fluxus Show curated by the influential Ken Friedman. A Harvard graduate with a Master of Arts in Teaching and 36 years experience in art education, Boyd has studied numerous successful art teaching models including Andover Academy, Wellesley College, and Black Mountain College. Bowles, a young artist with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Mount Vernon Nazarene University, was inducted into Fluxus West in 2004. His work has been featured in exhibits across Ohio.

What is Fluxus?

Fluxus is best characterized by the ideas of a group of artists formed around George Maciunas and Dick Higgins in NYC city around 1962. At one time there were over 300 Fluxus members worldwide. Over the years, the ideas have been crystallized into 12 written by Ken Friedman in 1992.

The Twelve Fluxus Ideas are:
(Source: 40 Years of Fluxus, by Ken Friedman)

1. Globalism
2. Unity of art and life
3. Intermedia
4. Experimentalism
5. Chance
6. Playfulness
7. Simplicity
8. Implicativeness
9. Exemplativism
10. Specificity
11. Presence in time
12. Musicality

The Building

The 80,000 square foot Fredericktown building has been used by manufacturers creating a variety of products - from parachutes to “honeycomb”used in airplane wings - since the late 19th century. Simple and unforced, the aged building has a fluxus aesthetic. See ariel view.

Boyd and Bowles are now working to establish the first organized fluxus artist residency program in the world– the Open Fluxus Foundation.

The Residency Program

Founded by fluxus artists, the Open Fluxus residency program will seek to provide an atmosphere in which participants will be encouraged to create and explore free of the expectations of the marketplace and academia. With the assistance of distinguished visiting artists, the residency will offer a stimulating, once-in-a-lifetime experience, encouraging artists to pursue personal creative work and interact within a small community of artists. The residency would closely follow the structure of Black Mountain College and the teachings of John Cage. Referring to Black Mountain in one his last interviews, Cage said, “There were no formal classes, just discussions around the dinner table and such.”

The Need

In order for the Open Fluxus Foundation to attract the most talented artists in the region, if not the country, it is imperative that financial resources are provided to engage prominent visiting artists, and to ensure that studios and living spaces are maintained in a way that inspires and welcomes visitors. Open Fluxus will rely on the generosity of friends and patrons to contribute these resources. Please consider supporting the Open Fluxus Foundation via a tax-deductible donation.

To learn more about how to make a donation, please click here.

Notes from the Founders

“My long-time ambition as an educator has been to form an affordable alternative to the expensive MFA programs offered by most ‘big-time’ art schools. They also require more time than is necessary. We propose an OPEN and endless learning opportunity for all involved; for ourselves, guest artists and residents.”- Don Boyd

“I continuously had visions that this place could be a thriving community of artists with large studio spaces. The situation couldn't be more perfect. The building is 80,000 sq ft with plenty of privacy. The property is perfect for workshops and large studios. Central Ohio is a great location with little distractions.” - Jason Andrew Bowles