Few artists have had such a profound effect on 20th-century art as composer, musician, visual artist, and writer John Cage (1912-1992). Inspired by Zen Buddhism and Marcel Duchamp's understanding of art, in the 1940s and 50s John Cage developed experimental music with unusual sound sources, bizarre instruments, and everyday noises. He organized sounds and events and introduced chance as an important element in his work. His aesthetics formed the basis for the emergence of minimalist art and actionist movements such as happenings and Fluxus, influencing both visual art and music.