Spatial Poem No. 2: A Flux Atlas 1966

Curator: This is Spatial Poem No. 2: A Flux Atlas by Mieko Shiomi, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It’s a vibrant piece, I love the red! It feels like a playful map, a treasure hunt maybe? Curator: Shiomi was a key figure in the Fluxus movement, known for its experimental art and emphasis on chance encounters. This atlas embodies that spirit, presenting a world both familiar and strangely altered. Editor: Altered is the word! Look at those compass-like drawings scattered across the continents. It feels like navigation meets divination. Are we meant to find something here, or lose ourselves? Curator: Perhaps both? Consider Fluxus's goal of blurring the lines between art and life, prompting us to reimagine our place in the world, and challenging established structures through artistic intervention. Editor: That's a lot to take in! I still can't shake the playful feeling. Maybe it's about finding joy in the chaos of exploration, accepting that we might not end up where we planned. Curator: Precisely. Art becomes an active tool for remapping our understanding of reality. Editor: Well, I'm ready for an adventure now. Who knew a map could be so inspiring?