Historical Precedents, Trans-historical Strategies, and the Myth of Democratization

Abstract

The essay briefly outlines some of the uncanny coincidences between the birth of Dada and the birth of Fluxus, charts the adoption of similar ahistorical strategies by members of both movements as they attempted to position themselves historically, and questions our assumption that democratization of the arts is the natural result of artistic actions that purportedly attempt to break down the line of demarcation between art and life. In the process, the article provides introductions to both the World War I movement and its post-World War II successor.