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Milan Knížák

Paper Bird

Image Not Available for Paper Bird
Paper Bird
Image Not Available for Paper Bird
Artist (1940, Plzeň), Czech
Artist
Original Title Paper Bird
Date1967
Mediumauthor's book – print on paper
Dimensions28 × 21,6 cm
ClassificationsFlux Papers
Credit LineKunsthalle Praha (Marie and Milan Knížák Fluxus Collection)
Licensing
DescriptionThe original design for Paper Bird (1967) was authored by Milan Knížák, with Ken Friedman subsequently converting it into printed form. The artist’s book comprises ten stapled sheets of paper, including the cover page. This piece was inspired by ten paper birds, each containing a message in Czech, which Knížák sent to Friedman along with English translations. During the summer of 1967, Friedman created performances—some of which were accompanied by dedicated score cards—based on these texts. He also transformed the original texts into a printed booklet containing Knížák’s translations as well as Friedman’s notes taken before and during performances. The brochure exemplifies Friedman and Knížák’s collaboration, which was founded on a shared conceptual orientation and a liking for ephemeral flyers and brochures that were easily disseminated to potential audiences. The motif of a handshake, found on the book’s cover, illustrates the character of their friendly collaboration, based on shared values and an effort to promote them.
This set also contains Knížák’s original design—a paper collage with an Indian ink drawing—which became the template for the coloured, photocopied sheets.