F l u i d i s m
Art Form - Philosophy - Worldview
My usage of the word, "fluidism", originates from direct, personal contact with fluid phenomena. As an artist, I adjust real, tangible fluid substances to flow freely, ... then manipulate them to bring about spontaneous, self-organizing patterns.
I experiment with various liquid mixtures to discover the most interesting liquid patterns, and I claim these liquid patterns as art forms. I also claim the word, "fluidism", as proper label for a style of art that I have clarified and further expanded to a comprehensive philosophy.
Other usages of the word, "fluidism", exist. Most general is its usage to describe the ancient Greek theory of body humors. Contemporary usages of the word appear in association with various other art interests and commercial enterprises. These particular usages are abstract, vaguely associative or connected only indirectly to the actual study of real fluid substances. Weak or metaphorical usages of the word seem to serve merely as superficial catchphrases.
My usage of the word, however, is conscientious and deep, ... securely anchored to observing and contemplating the physical state of matter named by the root word, "fluid".
I arrived at this root-level meaning of the word, after discussions with artist,
David Baker and with artist/philosopher, Joel Morrison.
Baker once casually suggested the word, "fluidism" (along with "liquidism"), to categorize some of his own art works derived in a manner similar to mine. At the time, I was calling my style "catastrophism" to highlight the destructive aspect associated with any act of creating. I later decided that Baker's casual suggestion deserved the more formal spotlight of a proper label. Consequently, I adopted it exclusively and started applying it as word-of-choice for my (and anybody else's) art style dealing with free-form fluid-substance manipulation.
I have suggested that Jackson Pollock is the best historical precedent representing all who pursue such art styles. This casts Pollock into a distinctively different light, ... deemphasizing his role as an abstract expressionist, while clarifying his role as a material experimentalist.
Discussions with artist/philosopher Morrison crystallized my perspective into a broader worldview, whereby fluidism (the artform) is a subset of a fluid universe.
In a nutshell, ... space, time, energy and consciousness all arise from a source best thought of as infinite, eternal, fluid matter. Mind and spirit are secondary to matter. Matter is the primal and primary starting point of human understanding. Fluid is the state of matter in which humans create this best understanding. Fluidism, the art form, expresses material, infinite eternity most directly. It speaks of the ultimate reality.
