Happenings

Happenings
Name	Happenings
Country	United States
Years	1950s-1960s
Influences	Dadaism, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism
Influenced	Fluxus, Performance Art, Installation Art

Happenings were a type of artistic event that emerged in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s, characterized by interactive and immersive experiences that blurred the lines between art, theater, and everyday life, influenced by Marcel Duchamp, John Cage, and Merce Cunningham. Happenings often involved Allan Kaprow, Jim Dine, and Red Grooms, and were inspired by the Dada movement, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism, which were popularized by artists such as Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Mark Rothko. The Happenings movement was also influenced by the Beat Generation, which included writers like Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and William S. Burroughs, and the Pop Art movement, led by artists like Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jasper Johns. As a result, Happenings became a key part of the New York City art scene, with events taking place at venues like the Cedar Tavern, The Factory, and the Museum of Modern Art.

Definition_of_Happenings

Happenings were a type of performance art that emphasized audience participation and interaction, often featuring improvisation, chance operations, and indeterminacy, inspired by the ideas of John Cage and Merce Cunningham. These events were designed to be ephemeral and experiential, creating a unique experience for each participant, and were influenced by the Theater of the Absurd, which included playwrights like Samuel Beckett, Eugene Ionesco, and Jean Genet. Happenings often incorporated elements of music, dance, and visual art, and were characterized by their use of found objects, everyday materials, and unconventional spaces, such as the Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, and Park Place Gallery. The Happenings movement was also influenced by the Situationist International, a group of artists and writers that included Guy Debord, Asger Jorn, and Raubert Raushenberg, and the Fluxus movement, which included artists like George Maciunas, La Monte Young, and Yoko Ono.

History_of_Happenings

The Happenings movement emerged in the 1950s, particularly in New York City, where artists like Allan Kaprow and Jim Dine were experimenting with new forms of performance art, influenced by the Action Painting of Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. The first Happening is often attributed to Allan Kaprow, who organized an event called "18 Happenings in 6 Parts" in 1959, which featured Robert Rauschenberg, John Cage, and Merce Cunningham. This event was followed by a series of other Happenings, including Jim Dine's "The Smiling Workman" and Red Grooms' "The Burning Building", which were influenced by the Dada movement and the Surrealist movement, and were presented at venues like the Reuben Gallery and the Delancey Street Museum. The Happenings movement gained momentum in the 1960s, with events taking place at venues like the Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum, and Whitney Museum of American Art, and was influenced by the Pop Art movement, led by artists like Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jasper Johns.

Types_of_Happenings

Happenings took many forms, from small, intimate events to large-scale spectacles, and often incorporated elements of theater, dance, and music, influenced by the Ballets Russes and the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Some Happenings were designed to be site-specific, taking place in abandoned buildings, parks, or other public spaces, such as the High Line and Central Park, while others were staged in galleries or theaters, like the Cedar Tavern and the Village Vanguard. Happenings could also be interactive, encouraging audience members to participate in the event, or immersive, surrounding the audience with sensory stimuli, like the Light and Space movement, which included artists like James Turrell, Robert Irwin, and Doug Wheeler. The Happenings movement was also influenced by the Futurist movement, which included artists like Umberto Boccioni, Giacomo Balla, and Luigi Russolo, and the Dada movement, which included artists like Marcel Duchamp, Hannah Höch, and Kurt Schwitters.

Notable_Happenings

Some notable Happenings include Allan Kaprow's "18 Happenings in 6 Parts", Jim Dine's "The Smiling Workman", and Red Grooms' "The Burning Building", which were influenced by the Surrealist movement and the Abstract Expressionist movement, and were presented at venues like the Reuben Gallery and the Delancey Street Museum. Other notable Happenings include John Cage's "4'33"" and Merce Cunningham's "RainForest", which were influenced by the Dada movement and the Fluxus movement, and were presented at venues like the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum. The Happenings movement also influenced the development of Performance Art, which included artists like Carolee Schneemann, Yoko Ono, and Chris Burden, and the Installation Art movement, which included artists like Marcel Duchamp, Joseph Kosuth, and Lawrence Weiner.

Cultural_Impact

The Happenings movement had a significant impact on the development of Performance Art, Installation Art, and Interactive Art, influencing artists like Carolee Schneemann, Yoko Ono, and Chris Burden, and the Fluxus movement, which included artists like George Maciunas, La Monte Young, and Nam June Paik. Happenings also influenced the development of Experimental Theater and Dance, with companies like the Living Theatre and the Merce Cunningham Dance Company creating innovative and interactive performances, influenced by the Ballets Russes and the Dada movement. The Happenings movement also had an impact on Popular Culture, with events like Woodstock and Burning Man drawing on the interactive and immersive principles of Happenings, and were influenced by the Counterculture movement, which included artists like Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and William S. Burroughs.

Examples_and_Case_Studies

Examples of Happenings can be seen in the work of artists like Allan Kaprow, Jim Dine, and Red Grooms, who created interactive and immersive events that challenged the boundaries between art and everyday life, influenced by the Dada movement and the Surrealist movement. The Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum have also hosted Happenings, including events like John Cage's "4'33"" and Merce Cunningham's "RainForest", which were influenced by the Fluxus movement and the Performance Art movement. The Happenings movement has also influenced the development of Digital Art and Virtual Reality, with artists like Char Davies and Jeffrey Shaw creating immersive and interactive experiences that draw on the principles of Happenings, and were influenced by the Cybernetic movement and the Systems Art movement.

Category:Art movements