The name Fluxus is taken from a latin word meaning "to flow". It was a international network of artists, composers and designers noted for blending different artistic media and disciplines in the 1960's - 70's.
Fluxus had two directions, one was the Event Scores and the other one was Fluxus Boxes
The inspiration for what became Fluxus comes from Marcel Duchamp and Allan Kaprow (who is credited as the creator of the first "happening" in art). Although it was an International network with artists in the US and Japan, most of the artists worked in Germany.
Fluxus has been compared with the movement of Dadaism but apart from the years when they were active (1910-20 against 1960-70) there are quite a few things that are different. Humour was common in works by Fluxus but never used in Dada. And to be able to understand Dada you needed knowledge in History of Art for references unlike Fluxus where they didn't use any hidden messages, it simply was what it was. A similarity between Dada and Fluxus was the anti-commercialism theory.
Apart from "happenings" Fluxus is famous for their "Fluxkits" and "Fluxboxes" which comes from their value of "do it yourself". The kits or boxes each included a collection of printed cards, games and ideas which was all organized in a small plastic or wooden box. Although they were more seen as artwork instead of practical kits. The idea was to somehow bring life to everyday objects. The kits and boxes were always made in limited editions since it was against the core of Fluxus to mass-produce anything.
Fluxus artists prefered to work with whatever materials that was at hand. The process of the art was more important than the final product, as well as working together with other artists in collaborations.
The father of Fluxus was John Cage and other artists of Fluxus was Dick Higgins, George Brecht and George Maciunas to mention a few.
