Jack Coke’s Farmer’s Co-op | Human Flux Trap

Jack Coke’s Farmer’s Co-op
Human Flux Trap
New York City, USA: Fluxus, 1969
4.9 x 10 x 11.9 cm.
Edition size unknown

Very little information is available about the two Fluxus editions credited to Jack Coke's Farmer's Co-op (this, and Find the End). Jack Coke taught at the St. Cloud State College in Minnesota, alongside Paul Shartis. He had introduced his students to some of the boxed works being produced by Fluxus artists and assigned that they create their own. Shartis was impressed with the results and sent them to Maciunas, who initially misattributed them to the artist.

The students came from farming backgrounds and opted to label themselves the "St. Cloud State College Farmer’s Cooperative", which later was shortened to "Jack Coke’s Farmer’s Co-op".

The published work closely resembles the prototype: a plastic box containing a plastic jewel as bait and a metal trap to catch the greedy participant.

The label, as always, is designed by George Maciunas, whose unused alternative design can be seen below.