Backwards Art
The Wrongheadedness Principle* applied to Art
A FLUXUS Midwest project
| *Wrongheadedness is a principle or idea we got from The Art Guys. Wrongheadedness is intentionally doing things wrong, using tools wrong (e.g., painting using a hammer as a paint brush), making things wrong, etc. Wrongheadedness is a good Fluxus principle. We apply this principle here to the basic canvas painting frame: we started by putting our artwork on the "wrong" side of the canvas...on the back of the frame. |
Let's scroll through the exhibition and then take a closer look at the art.
One-hour Exhibition
4:20 - 5:20 pm EDT
on the side of a barn in rural Oakland Township, Michigan
April 21, 2007
Wine, cheese and crackers were served on a teak tray
|
Old Logo | FLUXUS Midwest is a symbol/organization I created to help brand and guide my Fluxus art projects (more about the history of FLUXUS Midwest here). I have been using the black-and-white upright rectangular big "X" symbol for more than 20 years. Several months ago I created a new symbol as result of another art project I was working on. Fluxus Midwest now has two official symbols or logos: the "Old Logo" and the "New Logo." I selected these two logos for this backwards art project to both promote and celebrate FLUXUS Midwest and to connect this project to Fluxus art. And if you don't know what FLUXUS is...well then you better go here and then come back and start over! | New Logo |
Magnetic storm unexpectedly skips through and tilts the frames on the side of the barn.
[Intermission]
The artist posing with all the frames reversed...facing backwards...or forwards...ah backwards...
The artist, his hosts and audience pose for a group photo. Time to pack up.  The artist, Jim Fostey (with trees he's planting), Louise Hartung (with computer she's using), Cheryl Bukoff (holding rope), Rosemary Hartung (with walking stick), and Armond Hagerman (wearing slacks). |
How the ten frames were constructed
| Each frame was constructed to be unique. The frames vary in the type of image they display--either the OLD Fluxus Midwest logo (the "X") or the NEW Fluxus Midwest logo (letters in boxes & circles)--and the size of this image. Two different methods were also used to place the digital logo image on the canvas or cloth. One method used a t-shirt transfer film whose background is clear and the other method used a t-shirt transfer film whose background is white. Beyond the type and size of the image, these ten frames vary in size (in both exterior and interior dimensions), types of wood used (pine and cedar boards of varying widths & thicknesses), type of cloth stretched over the frame (primed canvas or 100% cotton duck), size of eye-screws (5 different sizes), and type of picture hanging wire used (two different types).
Two of the frames were commercial painting canvas frames (from Winsor & Newton) purchased at an art supply store. The remaining 8 frames were completely handmade--all the pieces cut from wooden boards on a tabletop saw and then stapled together into various size frames. The Flulxus Midwest logo images were printed on t-shirt transfer paper and then ironed on to the center of pre-measured rectangles of primed canvas or cotton duck. These cloth pieces were then stretched and stapled to their corresponding frame. Adding eye screws and wire completed the eight handmade frames. |
Dimensions, details, and close-up views of the 10 frames
Click on any frame below for detailed information and an enlarged view.
| Five of these frames (the ones framed in light blue below) are being sold on FluxShop, the online store for new Fluxus work. | |||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
| Thanks to The Art Guys for giving what ails people like me a name: wrongheadedness.  |
 |
 |