Higgins' essay was first published in 1965, when the world was a very different place. There were no personal computers, mobile phones, digital cameras, etc., but there was access to new forms of artmaking through electronics and other new technology.
It's interesting that despite Higgins' advocacy for intermedia, he chose to devote much of his time as a somewhat traditional publisher. His "Something Else Press" championed the work of fluxus artists and writers around the world. His essay, Mediocracy feels very current even though it was written almost forty years ago. Writing and publishing remained central to his practice as an artist. This in itself is not remarkable, but given the fact that Higgin's was all about breaking down barriers between art forms, he chose writing and publishing as his central activity.
NEW ASSIGNMENT
Due October 6, (upload no later than 3 pm)
Length: One or two single-spaced typed pages.
Description: After reading the two essays linked above, click on this link for the Great Bear Pamphlet series. Be sure to read Steve Clay's short essay at the bottom of the page. You should be able to find the digital version of the paper copy you were given in class. It's an exact facsimile. Your assignment is to describe the pamphlet, give some background on the writer/creator (light research), and consider why it was published in the first place. Dick Higgins was the editor/curator of the Great Bear Pamphlets, so each pamphlet must in some way align with the ideas that Higgins proposed in the two essays linked above. What do you think of Higgins' ideas? Is Intermedia just regular life in 2021? If so, what role do writing and literature have in our culture?
On October 6, we are going to have a genuine seminar session. Each student will report back to the group in a five-minute summary the main points of their paper. Fun, right? Questions: csmith@dcad.edu.
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