The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center recently showcased “Truth IS A Verb!,” the first solo exhibition of Fluxus artist Nye Ffarrabas, who believes the artistic movement of the 1960s is still relevant today. Fluxus, a network merging performance art, poetry, and experimental music, includes notable figures like Yoko Ono and John Cage. Ffarrabas, now 92, distinguishes herself with her unique contributions to this movement.
Curator Mark Waskow emphasized the significance of Ffarrabas, noting her lack of a prior museum show despite a rich artistic history. The exhibition, open until July 6, features ephemera like postcards and printed instructions, highlighting Ffarrabas’s playful and poetic commentary on life. One example is her “Language Box,” containing 333 word pair cards, illustrating her experimental approach to language.
During the exhibit, various text-based scores run around the gallery, portraying whimsical and philosophical insights, such as “Inhale in the vicinity of a peach…” Ffarrabas drew inspiration from journals she kept with her former husband, artist Geoff Hendricks. Their collaborative works include the celebrated “Flux Divorce,” a performance reflecting their separation.
Despite juggling motherhood and her artistic pursuits, Ffarrabas’s work remains vibrant and thought-provoking. She captures the essence of Fluxus, where art transcends traditional boundaries. Reflecting on her diverse projects, she considers art a continuous process, humorously questioning the very definition of art. Ffarrabas’s journey illustrates that art is not confined to galleries but is integrated into the fabric of life, resonating with audiences in unexpected ways.
