Music by Alison, performed during Fully Guaranteed 12 Fluxus Concerts, New York, May 23, 1964 1964

This photograph documents Alison Knowles' "Music" being performed in New York in 1964 as part of the Fluxus Concerts. Knowles treats everyday objects as instruments, disrupting the usual notions of how music is made. There's a beautiful simplicity to the idea of creating music from the sounds of ordinary things, extending our perception and encouraging us to find beauty in the mundane. It makes me think about how chance happenings and unexpected moments can lead to creative breakthroughs. In the image, a man extends a fur stole, almost conducting the space around him. Next to him, another man holds a sign, like a musical score, with the names "Ben" and "Alison." It's as if they are composing a symphony from the very fabric of the city. The bricks, the clothes, the people – all become part of a score that is open to chance and to interpretation. Like John Cage, Knowles challenges us to rethink what art and music can be. It's not about perfection, but about openness, play, and a willingness to embrace the unexpected.