Fluxus Study Day #1. The Fondazione Bonotto: A Visual Essay
Our extended Activating Fluxus network was recently hosted by the Fondazione Bonotto in Molvena, Italy, for our very first Fluxus Study Day and public panel “Activating Fluxus: In and out of the Archive,” the latter jointly organized by our project team and the Fondazione. This post, the first of two, is a visual essay reflecting on our Study Day. You can view part two here.
The Bonotto Collection is uniquely distributed across two centres: a textile factory and a house. The first half of our Study Day consisted of a tour around both spaces by Patrizio Peterlini, Director of the Fondazione Bonotto, and Lorenzo Bonotto, CEO, and sales director of the Bonotto company. In the factory, large-scale Fluxus artworks, artefacts and ephemera are scattered in and amongst the daily activities of human and machine labourers alike. It is a true intermedia haven, not only in which art and life subsume into one but in which multiple senses are also stimulated by the hustle and bustle of manufacturing activity. The house was similarly compelling in a more intimate setting, with Fluxus things of all kinds out in the open, not necessarily on “display”, but inhabiting the space.
The second half of our Study Day saw some researchers from our extended Activating Fluxus team engage with pre-selected Fluxus pieces. The Fondazione allows for objects from its collection to be studied with radical closeness. Precious moments were spent touching, smelling, and listening to historic Fluxus objects that might usually only be accessible by looking through a vitrine.
What follows is a visual unfolding of our day told through photographs taken by Aga Wielocha from the Activating Fluxus Team.
To learn more about our public panel “Activating Fluxus: In and Out of the Archive”, please follow this link to the recordings of the lectures and panel discussion.
Lorenzo Bonotto, the CEO and Head of Sales at BONOTTO S.p.A., explaining sustainable manufacturing processes for high-quality textiles to members of the Activating Fluxus Team. Patrizio Peterlini, Director of the Fondazione Bonotto, explaining how textile engineering can be used in visual arts to members of the Activating Fluxus Team. Members of the Activating Fluxus Team feeling the variety of high-quality fashion fabrics and designer textiles together with Patrizio Peterlini. Members of the Activating Fluxus Team feeling the variety of high-quality fashion fabrics and designer textiles. Members of the Activating Fluxus Team discussing an artwork displayed in one of the BONOTTO S.p.A’s offices. Members of the Activating Fluxus Team exploring works from the Bonotto Collection that live in the textile factory. A member of the Activating Fluxus Team photographing works from the Bonotto Collection that live in the textile factory. Patrizio Peterlini explaining works to the Activating Fluxus Team in the textile factory. Patrizio Peterlini explaining works from the Bonotto Collection that live in the textile factory to members of the Activating Fluxus Team. Patrizio Peterlini guiding the Activating Fluxus Team around the factory workers’ canteen. The canteen features a curated selection of artworks from the Bonotto collection. A large print of Fluxus artists performing Philip Corner’s Piano Activities (1962) at the “FLuXuS Internationale FesTsPiELe NEUEsTER MUSiK” in Wiesbaden, 1962, hangs above Patrizio Peterlini and members of the Activating Fluxus Team.Patrizio Peterlini explaining works from the Bonotto Collection that live in the textile factory to members of the Activating Fluxus Team. The Activating Fluxus Team with Enrica Sampong and Patrizio Petrellini from the Fondazione Bonotto, Lorenzo Bonotto and speakers from the expert panel Activating Fluxus: In and Out of the Archive. They are pictured here with Nam June Paik’s robot sculpture, Playground Child (1989), amongst other works from the Bonotto Collection. Enrica Sampong from the Fondazione Bonotto presenting collection pieces to members of the Activating Fluxus Team. Patrizio Peterlini presenting works from the Bonotto Collection to members of the Activating Fluxus Team. Patrizio Peterlini presenting the works from the Bonotto Collection to members of the Activating Fluxus Team. Members of the Activating Fluxus Team investigate pieces from the Bonotto Collection.
Activating Fluxus 