Fluxus and after

Nicholas Zurbrugg is a distinguished writer on theories of the avant-garde and postmodernism. From his base at Wangi Wangi, New South Wales, Richard Tipping explores verbal concepts in His knowledge of the 'concrete poetry' movement is extensive and he curated the exhibition 'Visual 'word works' which refuse to be coerced into the old rules of poetry. Trading pomposity and Poetics: Concrete Poetry and its Contexts'for Z Z_m preciousness for quick wilted, satirical words and phrases, he takes well-aimed public digs at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Brisbane Australia's image of itself. in 1989. As a visual poet, Zurbrugg has b e e n 3 0 . Z . . . 1W 3:10 / 'I've wanted to stretch the boundaries of poetry X 3 0 - in form, spoken and physical, from overlaid active since the late 1960s, shifting from . . E l 1 U . . X . Z . . U - ••7 rhythm (performance with music) to Haiku-inspired observations to verbal/visual ripostes which counter prevailing theoretical debates: Z m engraved stone, giving weight to words - 'Subjectivity? mere self-delusion! (remember who told you that)'. Z Z in media, seen & heard from film/video and Intuition? 1989 . L I M 1 U . . X-m Z . - 1 audiocassette and radio to badges, Computer print postcards, roadsigns, screenprints, taking self-declaring perceptual emotion facts (i.e. poems) 52.5 x 81.5cm into the gallery, street, livingroom - wherever there's room to jump and shout, or intently whisper.' Objectivity? 1989 (Artist statement, Visual Poetics [exhibition catalogue], Museum of Contemporary Art, Brisbane, 1989, p.17) Computer print 56 x 79cm Subjectivity? 1989 Computer print 51 x 79.5cm Colection- The artist, Brisbane These computer-generated texts were produced in collaboration with the artist Adam Wolter (Australia b.1958). They were printed on the Canon Al Bubble Jet Copier. Collection of 'word works' from the 1970s to the present including: Coffee table edition of 'Soft Riots' 1973 Copy of Richard Tipping's book Soft Riots (University of Queensland Press, Brisbane, 1972) bolted between sheets of perspex and set on castors ed.12/12 Copyright 1977-79 Blue pearl granite, 7cm in circumference, engraved, with gold leaf ed.6/7 CO Australian Mad c.1983 ' i Tin can ('Chowder can of worms') filled with 'Australian Mad' badges, accompanied by other versions of that badge and CD two of 'Sing', al designed by Tipping 1981-82 in editions of 500-1000 each