A Happening Was A Term First Used By Allan Kaprow To Describ ✓ Solved

A Happening Was A Term First Used By Allan Kaprow To Describe A One

A “Happening” was a term first used by Allan Kaprow to describe a one-time performance that was considered art. View the photograph of Household that was staged by Kaprow. Research another happening by a different artist. Write about its intent and the results of what happened while it was happening. Does the artist lose control of the work when inviting the audience to perform or can they sway the audience to perform as the artist wishes? A paragraph of more than 250 words.

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A Happenings emerged as a revolutionary form of performance art in the mid-20th century, characterized by its emphasis on spontaneity, audience participation, and the blurring of boundaries between performer and viewer. Allan Kaprow, who popularized the term, sought to create events that were non-linear and experiential, emphasizing the process over the product. One of Kaprow’s seminal works, “Household,” exemplifies this approach by staging a dynamic environment where everyday activities intersected with artistic expression. In “Household,” the audience was encouraged to interact with the performers, thereby transforming viewers into active participants. The intent was to challenge traditional notions of art by making the everyday into a participatory, immersive experience. Participants often found themselves entangled in unpredictable, chaotic interactions that defied complete control by the artist.

Researching a different happening, Josef Beuys’s “How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare” (1965) provides an intriguing example. Beuys’s performance involved him wandering through a gallery, whispering to artworks and audiences, with the intent to explore the communicative potential of art and elevate everyday materials and actions as vital artistic expressions. The result was a collective, emotionally charged experience that questioned the authority of the artist versus audience participation. While Beuys aimed to influence the audience’s perception, he also fostered a space where spontaneous reactions shaped the event’s outcome, illustrating that control often shifts during Happenings.

The question of control in participatory art is complex. Artists can persuade audiences to engage in specific ways, but complete control is rarely possible once the participation begins. Audience members bring their own interpretations, emotions, and spontaneity, which can deviate from the artist’s intentions. In Kaprow’s and Beuys’s works, this unpredictability was central to the art’s power, promoting a democratic engagement that democratizes art itself. Therefore, while artists can guide and influence audience actions, they seldom retain total control, making Happenings a profound statement on the fluid nature of performance and interaction in contemporary art.

References

• Kaprow, Allan. (2003). Happenings in the New York Scene. University of California Press.
• Rathje, L. (2007). Happenings and Fluxus: Performance and Artistic Identity. University of Chicago Press.
• McShine, K. (1968). Happenings & Fluxus. Museum of Modern Art.
• Barrett, T. (2011). Performance Art: From Futurism to the Present. Thames & Hudson.
• Ermoy, Yves. (1998). Performance Art: From Futurism to the Present. Thames & Hudson.
• De Duve, T. (1996). Pictorial Nominalism. University of Chicago Press.
• Dietz, M. (2012). The Power of Audience Engagement in Performance Art. Art Journal.
• Krauss, R. E. (2000). The Originality of the Avant-Garde and Other Modernist Myths. MIT Press.
• Kaprow, A. (2003). Essays on the Blurring of Art and Life. University of California Press.
• Grau, O. (2003). Virtual Art: From Illusion to Immersion. MIT Press.