Intermedia (pgs. 345 - 387) "Expanded Cinema"

I read about Intermedia and how it expanded Cinema as a whole. After reading (pgs. 345 – 387, Expanded Cinema) about the different composers, different ways theaters were built, and how art forms were changed, I decided to research the origin of “Intermedia.” I found that composer, poet, painter and early Fluxus artist, Dick Higgins was best known for coining the term “Intermedia.” Higgins was born in Cambridge, England but raised in many different parts of the United States. He did a lot of his work all around the world, which may have been what led him to his work in media across boundaries. Without the work of Higgins, I believe that people in the digital arts field would not be as diverse as they are. Before “Intermedia” was defined, most people stuck to one main art form such as poetry, painting or theatre. Higgins showed that those boundaries could be crossed and there was correlation between drawing and poetry, painting and theatre, music and light, etc. Although it may be a stretch, we could even say there would not be programs such as the Digital Arts and Sciences program at the University of Florida that teach students about all aspects of media, instead of just one form. Higgins did most of his work during the “Swingin’ 60s”. This was known as a cultural decade with different clothing, music, drugs, and sexuality. During the 1960s, things became a little bit more loose and radical and it seemed like many were thinking outside of the social norms of the decade before.