Alison Knowles, a renowned figure in experimental art and one of the founders of the Fluxus movement, passed away at her residence in New York City on October 29 at the age of 92. The news of her death was confirmed by the James Fuentes gallery, her representative.
Knowles was known for her boundary-breaking work that spanned various disciplines and media. Throughout her impressive six-decade career, she delved into process-based art, relational aesthetics, computer-based art, and more. She incorporated elements of chance and sound into her work, often drawing inspiration from everyday objects with political significance. Knowles challenged the conventional boundaries of the art world and sought to blur the lines between art objects and the outside world. In a 2010 oral history with the Archives of American Art, she remarked, “People don’t touch art. That’s one of the problems.” Knowles urged viewers to physically engage with art and experience the present moment.
Born in Scarsdale, New York, in 1933, Knowles pursued her education at Middlebury College in Vermont and later at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. In the vibrant art scene of 1950s New York, she explored various forms of contemporary and experimental art. She participated in Allan Kaprow’s “Happenings” and was a founding member of the Fluxus movement, alongside luminaries like John Cage and George Maciunas.
Knowles married fellow Fluxus artist Dick Higgins in 1960 and together, they founded Something Else Press in 1963. The press aimed to publish intermedia book art that was accessible to a wide audience. Knowles was involved in designing and co-editing John Cage’s “Notations” in 1969. Despite their divorce in 1970, their collaboration left a lasting impact on the art world.
Throughout her career, Knowles continued to innovate with large-scale installations like “The Boat Book” (1979) and works like “Bean Rolls” (1963), which repurposed everyday items into art. She explored the concept of Event Scores, creating more than 100 participatory performance pieces. Some of her most iconic works include “Make a Salad” (1962) and “The Identical Lunch” (1960), emphasizing the importance of interpretation and action in art.
Knowles also co-created one of the world’s first computer-generated poems, “The House of Dust” (1967), with composer James Tenney. Her work is housed in prestigious collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Tate Modern.
Alison Knowles will be remembered for her groundbreaking contributions to the art world, her focus on the poetry of everyday life, and her belief in art as a lived experience. She once expressed that art, for her, was a means to connect with people, observe the world around her, and truly pay attention to the present moment.
