One afternoon we decided to have lunch somewhere and were joined by Nam June Paik and gallerist René Block. After we had finished our meal, we asked for the bill and all of us put some German marks on the table. It took quite some time before one of the staff members came to pick up the money. After a while, Sharits and Paik got out their lighters and started burning the edges of some banknotes. After signing them they handed the banknotes to each other and also to some other guests.
In the end, René Block paid the bill.
In 1992, Sharits sent me a list of Fluxus ephemera he wanted to sell. Among these collectibles was one of the burned banknotes from Kassel. It was signed by Paik.
A few years ago, I spotted another copy on the website of an American antiquarian bookshop. The beautifully framed banknote was for sale for a couple of thousand dollars.
(13.06.20)
