Fluxus and Beyond: Ursula Burghardt, Benjamin Patterson

The exhibition "Fluxus and Beyond: Ursula Burghardt, Benjamin Patterson" at the Museum Ludwig sheds light on the pioneering beginnings of the Fluxus movement and its lasting influences. This art movement of the 1960s merged art and life through innovative actions and performances. Cologne, known for its vibrant cultural life, became a central meeting place for international artists at the time, which was also due to the fact that the WDR's Studio for Electronic Music was a centre of attraction for creative minds.

The exhibition focuses on the works of Ursula Burghardt and Benjamin Patterson, both of whom worked on the fringes of the Fluxus network for different reasons, but whose work is nevertheless immensely relevant. Burghardt, who fled persecution by the National Socialists to Buenos Aires in 1936, later found a new home in Cologne and transformed everyday objects into abstract sculptures in her works. Social responsibility and a critical examination of post-war society are reflected in her work.

Benjamin Patterson, who organised the "Fluxus: International Festival of New Music" with George Maciunas, combined deep-seated experiences of alienation in a dominant white art world with his work. After a long break, he returned to art in 1988 and left behind a body of work that continues to challenge and inspire today.

The exhibition is complemented by a diverse supporting programme of concerts, readings and workshops and offers in-depth insights into the social and historical contexts of the time in which Fluxus was rooted.