Sims Reed Rare Books×

fluxorchestra at carnegie recital hall sept. 25

Ono, Yoko, et al

(New York). (Fluxus). 1965
An excellent example of the scarce poster / announcement / programme by George Macunias for the fluxorchestra's September 25th, 1965 recital.

The programme, designed by Maciunas and making use of the 'Mask' vignette he had used previously for the fluxshop / fluxorchestra manifesto, included works by La Monte Young ('1965 0'), Yoko Ono's 'Sky piece to Jesus Christ' and '4 pieces for orchestra to La Monte Young', pieces by George Brecht, Chieko Shomi, Shigeko Kubota, Ben Vautier, Tony Cox, Robert Watts, and others.

The fluxorchestra, costumed by Robert Watts (also on tuba), featured La Monte Young as conductor, Ayo on trumpet, a string section featuring Tony Cox and Yoko Ono, Jonas Mekas on accordion, 'Samurai Sword' as a special guest (presumably playing on Tony Cox's 'Sword Piece') and so on.

'During Yoko Ono's 'Sky Piece to Jesus Christ' (1965), at Carnegie Recital Hall, in New York, N.Y., members of the Fluxorchestra were wrapped in gauze as they performed. Eventually they were no longer able to operate as a unified body. When all the music was stilled, the musicians, bound together, left the stage together.' (Encyclopedia Britannica).

We can locate examples at the Walker Art Center, Detroit Institute of Arts, National Gallery of Victoria and Northwestern; a note for the Northwestern copy indicates it was folded to form a paper airplane. A note for the Fondazione Bonotto suggets that it was the flyer - similar to the present sheet but without the surrounding text - that was used to make the airplanes that formed part of the performance.
Folded sheet of greenish / yellow paper. (430 x 300 mm). Circular vignette printed 24 times across and down the page (6 x 4) with surrounding text, each vignette also with printed text.
#47420