Paper Piece by Benjamin Patterson is a score written in 1960 that contains instructions for actions to fold, rip, crush, rub, and throw away strips of paper. This photograph shows the performance as the first program of Festum Fluxorum Fluxus: Musik und Antimusik – Das Instrumentale Theater held at Staatliche Kunstakademie, Dusseldorf in 1963. A large sheet of paper covered the stage, and Jean-Pierre Wilhelm gave an introductory speech behind the paper screen. Another large sheet ofpaper was rolled out above the audience. With sounds of crumpling and tearing, holes began to appear on the paper screen onstage. As performers threw wadded paper balls over the audience, the holes grew larger. The performance came to a close with the paper remains scattered across the floor. Paper Piece is regarded as one of the first attempts to directly engage the audience in a Fluxus performance.
