TOPICS: HAPPENINGS AND PERFORMANCES in Fall 2023 (AH3091B)

Initiated in the early 20th century among Futurist and Dadaist circles, Happenings and Performances were interdisciplinary forms of expression that became accepted, and even conventional artistic media of the 1960s. From Yoko Ono to Marina Abramovic, Bruce Nauman or Vanessa Beecroft, numerous artists’ works from the past 60 years have been interpreted in relation to the codes of performances and happenings. This class examines the emergence, the evolution, and the critical interpretations of these new artistic languages in light of post–World War II society. The role played by seminal artists — Alan Kaprow, John Cage, Claes Oldenburg, among others – will be studied along with specific questions: Is it possible to fully involve viewers in a process of creation? Can our Western culture deal with ephemeral art forms?