The Ocean Between VIII – Luminosity Sparks Transatlantic Artistic Dialogue in Chicago

Illuminating Connections: The Ocean Between VIII – Luminosity Sparks Transatlantic Artistic Dialogue in Chicago

In an era of global polarization, it is a rare gift when art steps forward as a universal language. The Ocean Between VIII – Luminosity, curated by artists Marianna Buchwald and Tamara Wasserman, boldly does just that—transforming Chicago into a nexus of international artistic discourse. This year’s symposium emerges as a beacon for intercultural connection, a thoughtful response to our times from the transatlantic artist community.

A Portal to Artistic Exchange

At its heart, Luminosity explores light—not merely as an aesthetic medium but as metaphor for illumination, transformation, and dialogue. The exhibition is a vibrant platform where artists from across the globe come together in spirited interaction. Among them are Germany's Franz Betz, Harro D.B. Schmidt, Michaela Hanemann, and Lars Schumacher, whose “Fluxus 2025” installation provides a compelling homage to avant-garde traditions reimagined in contemporary context.

Rather than merely presenting static artwork, the symposium expands into a rich ecosystem of workshops, discussions, and participatory experiences. It invites the public not just to observe but to converse—to step inside the art and contribute to its resonance.

Fluxus 2025: Where Art is a Living Stream

Of particular note is Lars Schumacher’s Fluxus 2025, a Mail Art installation paying tribute to the radical Fluxus movement of the 1960s. With over 180 submitted works from artists around the world—including luminaries like Ai Weiwei, Ryosuke Cohen, and Angela Caporaso—the collection reinvigorates the Fluxus ethos of spontaneity, playfulness, and the blurring of boundaries between art and everyday life.

Mail Art—ephemeral, tactile, poetic—remains an ideal medium for transnational exchange. It embodies the essence of Fluxus: art not as object, but as process; not as commodity, but as conversation.

Performance as Provocation

The symposium also shines with a dynamic series of performances hosted by the Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble (August 1–2, 2025). Under the artistic direction of Ellyzabeth Adler, the stage transforms into a canvas for global expression: from Mexican and Brazilian contemporary dance to German mask theater. With scheduled appearances by artists like Erik Elizondo, CME Mask Dance, and Hannah Huang, each act deepens the audience’s engagement with the themes of transformation and luminosity.

Chicago as Resonant Space

Chicago is no random backdrop—it has a storied connection to Fluxus, dating back to Wolf Vostell’s Concrete Traffic and the experimental festivals of the ’90s. The city becomes not just a host but a participant in this living tradition. The Ocean Between VIII is both a continuation and an evolution—a testament to the city’s ongoing embrace of radical creativity.

Art Critics Reflect: Why It Matters

From our vantage point as art critics embedded in this community, Luminosity feels urgent. It reminds us that art does not belong to ivory towers. It flourishes in mailboxes, in dialogue, in shared experience. It is crafted in collectivity and thrives in difference.

In turbulent times, art such as Fluxus 2025 gestures toward a world not built on domination or division—but on exchange, experimentation, and empathy. And that, we argue, is the light this symposium seeks to share.