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Fluxus art at Vostell Malpartida Museum in Spain [Video]

If you are looking for something rather weird and wonderful on a vacation in Spain, the Vostell Malpartida Museum near Cáceres is an absolute must.

Nestled 13 km from the city of Cáceres in Extremadura, Spain, the Vostell Malpartida Museum is an interactive experience of a lifetime. Created by the German artist Wolf Vostell, as part of what is known as the Fluxus movement, this museum never fails to fascinate and bring to mind the dystopian science fiction films of recent years.

Car sculpture in the Vostell Malpartida Museum

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The name Fluxus is taken from the Latin word for “flow” and a group of artists, composers and designers got together back in the 60s to create an art form which blends different media and disciplines, using visual art, design, noise, music and video. Among the artists in the movement are famous names, like Al Hansen, Joseph Beuys, Yoko Ono and Dick Higgins.

As one of the earliest practitioners of the Fluxus movement, Vostell created his art in an ancient wool wash house, in the Los Barrueces de Malpartida natural park in Extremadura. Today visitors can still enjoy his avant-garde work, bringing together life, art and nature.

This image shows a sculpture by Vostell, located on the patio of the museum.

Car sculpture at the Vostell Malpartido Museum

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Among the artistic work are several large collections, including the “Wolf and Mercedes Vostell Collection.” This exhibit features several fascinating installations, including the “Fluxus Buick Piano” and “Auto Fever 1973.” Vostell has used cars, combined with video and sound, to create what he calls a definition of the current society.

It is hard to adequately describe in mere words the effects the exhibits have on their viewers. The best way is, of course, to visit the museum itself, but the video below gives an excellent idea of what to expect on a visit to the Cáceres museum.

Main photo credit: “Automobile Fever” by Solyroca1000/Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0

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Written by Anne Sewell

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