“Fluxus artists have consistently described their work, particularly the objects they produce, as performative” (Higgins 25).Ray Johnson, a Neo-Dada or Fluxus artist, is credited as being the father of mail art. Although he didn’t invent it, he was extremely aggressive about moving art through his network. The act of not being the sole producer of an artwork is performative because it takes the collaboration of others to complete it. The recipient of Johnson’s mail art was to decide to carryout, or perform, the instructions enclosed with the art. Instructions included “Please send to…”, “Please add to and return,” “Please add to and send to…”, or even “Do not send to…”. By completing Johnson’s instructions, each recipient contributed to Johnson’s performative mail art.
Johnson also designed his life as somewhat of a collaborative work. No one person is able to accurately retell the life story of Johnson because he allowed his friends to only see so much of his life and personality. As his friends and family collaborate in the documentary How to Draw a Bunny, the life and work of Ray Johnson is illuminated. Because the life and death of Johnson were surrounded in mystery, his life can be viewed as a performative piece of art.
Ray Johnson staged his death as his final performance, a mystery revolving around the number 13. He committed suicide on January 13, 1995 at the age of 67 (6+7=13). Johnson checked into a motel, room 247 (2+4+7=13), and then was seen jumping into Sag Harbor and swimming out to sea. After his body washed up on shore, his apartment was found to have hundreds of his collages carefully displayed throughout his apartment.
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