Monday, October 6, 2008

06. "Happenings" in the New York Scene by Allan Kaprow, 1993.

  • "Happening" describes different performances in the 50's and 60's created by Allan Kaprow (author of article) and others which urged viewers to deconstruct the barriers btw. the audience and the creators.
  • Is the audience only there to observe?  Or do they have a responsibility?  
  • Kaprow's group, all painters, all came from American painter backgrounds
  • Performances are seemingly goal-less, they "go nowhere," they are not structured, they are "open-ended and fluid" (85).  
  • Differences btw. "happenings" and other theatre:  context - lofts, basements, nature = no distinction btw. audience and performance.  "Happenings" disregard the "proper" and get down to the natural, organicity of art.  plot - there's no plot line in a "happening," and you never know what will occur next.  There is no "sense" in the traditional meaning.  chance ("risk"/"fear," "willingness to fail" 86) is very important to "happenings," something that is not usually present in most theatrical performances.  reproduction is not doable with "happenings" - performances cannot be recreated in their original form.
  • Leading artists are praised too often instead of being left to explore or use their resources = creativity dies = they reach fame