Ken Friedman on Dick Higgins

Fluxus artist and sometimes Fluxus historian Ken Friedman shared this message with friends and colleagues today:


"Dear Colleague,

Last November, Siglio Press published a collection of Dick Higgins’s writings titled Intermedia, Fluxus, and the Something Else Press. Steve Clay of Granary Books and I edited it, and Lisa Pearson of Siglio Press realised it in a beautiful edition that would have pleased Dick immensely. The book includes a lovely biographical memoir about Dick by his daughter, Hannah Higgins.

This book meets exacting standards that Dick set in the essay for the Something Else Press 1965-1966 catalogue, “What to Look for in a Book — Physically.” Natalie Kraft’s elegant design moves between well set pages with rich illustrations and Dick’s own scholarly footnotes for some writings with documentary reproductions of Dick’s own publications for key works, as well as for Dick’s cover designs for many works. Martha Ormiston’s cover uses a Wolf Vostell photo of Dick performing Danger Music, a reminder of just how lively and musical Dick Higgins was.      

In the half year since the book was published, it has been the subject of reviews in Artforum, Artist’s Books & Multiples, Brooklyn Rail, Glasstire, Hyperallergic, Kirkus, Leonardo, Svenska Dagbladet, White Hot Magazine, and more. Many of the reviews offer a deep, reflective look at Dick’s contributions to the arts of the late 20th century — and the shadows he continues to cast on the arts of our time. Siglio built a terrific web page for this book, and it allows you to link direct to most of the reviews, with essays by Natalee Harren, Dave Dyment, Jennie Waldow, Michael Galbreth (of the Art Guys), James Gibbons, Jack Ox, Mark Bloch, and Bengt af Klintberg, the Fluxus artist and a Something Else Press author.

http://sigliopress.com/book/dick-higgins/

To celebrate the advent of May, Siglio is offering a 20% discount on this book. Even if you have the book already, the page is worth a look with its links to some fine reviews.

If you haven’t yet seen it, I invite you to visit the Dick Higgins page at Siglio Press.

Warm wishes,

Ken"


See previous post for an event taking place tonight at Printed Matter.