Robert Watts (1923 – 1988)
“The invisible man of Fluxus and Pop”
Robert Watts (who was also known as Bob Watts and went by the moniker Doctor Bob) was an American artist who is best known for his work contributing to Fluxus.
The most important thing about Fluxus is that no one knows what it is. There should at least be something that the experts don’t understand. I see Fluxus whenever I go.”
– Robert Watts
As a Professor of Art at Douglass College, Rutgers University, Watts was introduced to other teachers at the University including Allan Kaprow, Geoffrey Hendricks and Roy Lichtenstein. This has caused some critics to argue that pop art and conceptual art has its roots at Rutgers.
Together with George Brecht, Watts organised the proto-Fluxus ‘Yam Festival’ in May 1963. With George Maciunas, Watts played a central role in transforming Soho in New York into an artists’ quarter.
Links:
Website:
Robert Watts Estate: https://robertwattsstudioarchive.com/
Instagram page:
Robert Watts Estate Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/robertwattsestateny/?hl=en
Biographies:
Short biography, The Met Museum: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/780074
Short biography: https://mailartists.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/robert-watts/
Works:
Visual exhibits: https://www.fondazionebonotto.org/en/collection/fluxus/wattsrobert
‘Trace’ by Robert Watts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4_m1Pq_Ve0&ab_channel=sst1287
‘Fun With Fluxus’: https://artbasel.com/catalog/artwork/69572/Milan-Kn%C3%AD%C5%BE%C3%A1k-Robert-Watts-Fun-with-Fluxus
‘Lamb Chop Table’: https://artbasel.com/catalog/artwork/69488/Robert-Watts-Lamb-Chop-Table
A Flux Atlas (a collection of rocks from different countries): http://artistsbooksandmultiples.blogspot.com/2020/07/robert-watts-flux-atlas.html
Visual exhibits, Artnet: http://www.artnet.de/k%C3%BCnstler/robert-watts/
Written interview:
‘Cloud Music’, Robert Watts, David Behrman & Bob Diamond: http://www.vasulka.org/Kitchen/PDF_Eigenwelt/pdf/152-154.pdf
Articles:
‘How Watts sought to bring the universe into the home’: https://www.frieze.com/article/space-man
‘Robert Watts: The Postman of the Fluxus Stream’: https://fahrenheitmagazine.com/de/Kunst/robert-watts-el-cartero-de-la-corriente-fluxus#view-1
‘Robert Watts: Photography Into Sculpture and Other Works’: https://www.newyorkartworld.com/reviews/watts.html
‘Flux Med & Doctor Bob’ by Francesco Conz: https://www.artpool.hu/Fluxus/Watts/Conz_e.html
‘Dr Bob: X-Ray Eyes’ by Lary Miller: https://www.artpool.hu/Fluxus/Watts/Miller_e.html
‘From Job Interview to FluxLux, a 32 year friendship with Bob Watts’ by Geoffrey Hendricks: https://www.artpool.hu/Fluxus/Watts/Hendricks_e.html
‘Bob Watts, Pioneer Spirit’ by Ken Friedman: https://www.artpool.hu/Fluxus/Watts/Friedman_e.html
Watts’ Postage Stamps: http://georgemaciunas.com/blog/unpacking-fluxus-the-unruly-stamp/
Watts’ link to Pop Art: https://culturalcartography.net/names/robert-watts/
Robert Watts: The Complete Postage Stamp Sheets, 1961-1986: https://web.archive.org/web/20090405050332/http://www.mailartist.com/johnheldjr/RobertWatts.html
Dada’s Children: Fluxus Redux: https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2000/5/5/dadas-children-fluxus-redux-pthe-early/
Exhibitions:
Experiments in the Everyday: Allan Kaprow and Robert Watts—Events, Objects, Documents, 1999 exhibition: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/wallach/exhibitions/Experiments-in-the-Everyday.html
Obituary:
Obituary, New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/04/obituaries/robert-watts-artist-and-fluxus-figure-dies-of-cancer-at-65.html
Further links & resources:
Flux Med – Robert Watts: https://www.artpool.hu/Fluxus/Watts.html