Ephemeral Art: 1960 to the Present

Much artistic production of the last fifty years is not meant to endure. Land work erodes, performances end, and everyday materials decay. In this course we will explore the works of art that express or engage notions of the ephemeral and the transient, raising questions about both the structure and logic of the 'event.' In moving from "happenings" and Fluxus in the 1960s, to current developments in performance and installation, we will examine the formal, social, and political stakes in the lives and afterlives of fleeting works of art. Readings will include artist statements as well as historical and theoretical texts. 3hrs. lect.