Diferenças entre Happening e Performance
'Theather Piece #1', often considered the first happening, plays a critical role in art history by establishing a new form where multiple disciplines and sensory experiences converged. Organized by John Cage at Black Mountain College in 1952, this event blended poetry, dance, music, and visual art, reflecting a radical shift from traditional art forms . Its historical significance lies in its departure from conventional narratives and rigid structures, paving the way for future multidimensional artistic expressions that demanded active audience engagement. Moreover, it set a precedent for experimental approaches in art that encourage artists and audiences alike to explore the conceptual boundaries of what art can be .
Allan Kaprow was a pioneering figure in the development of happenings and had a substantial influence on performance art. His work emphasized the integration of everyday activities into the artistic process and was instrumental in shaping the experimental nature of happenings, which challenged traditional art forms by combining visual arts with theatrical and musical elements . Kaprow's focus on audience involvement and the blending of art and life had a ripple effect on subsequent movements, influencing groups like Fluxus and artists interested in installation art and performative expressions. His emphasis on spontaneity and improvisation in environments outside traditional art venues helped to redefine artistic boundaries and roles .
The use of artificial blood in a happening enhances the performance's realism and immersive quality by visually intensifying the scene and allowing for creative expression regarding the nature and severity of fictional injuries . Depending on its preparation, the blood can mimic different types of wounds (venous for darker, slow-flowing blood; arterial for bright, fast-spurting blood), which can dramatically affect the audience's perception and emotional response . This element of realism can deepen engagement by making the performance more visceral and immediate.
To remove theatrical makeup after a performance, layers of latex and cotton are carefully peeled off, and any remaining makeup is wiped away using cotton soaked in alcohol until the varnish and residual makeup are completely removed . This is followed by washing the area with plentiful alcohol if necessary. These removal techniques contrast with the initial application, which involves careful planning of the makeup's effects and the deliberate application to achieve specific visual results, such as using different viscosities of artificial blood to depict varied wound types . The removal process prioritizes gentle care and thorough cleansing, ensuring no residue remains that could affect future applications or skin health.
The main objectives of happenings are to question the definition of art by challenging usual classifications and to establish a connection between art and everyday life by erasing the distinctions between art and non-art . This artistic expression evolved alongside movements like Pop Art, Minimalism, and conceptual art in the 1960s and 70s, aiming to create a more interactive and experiential form of art .
Happenings challenge traditional classifications of art by questioning the very definition of art itself. They blur the lines between different forms of artistic expression and everyday life, thus defying conventional boundaries between art and non-art . The role of improvisation and spontaneity is central to happenings, as these elements drive the performances in an impromptu manner, ensuring that each event is unique and disconnected from conventional storylines or plots . This approach encourages unpredictability and engages audiences in direct or indirect participation, breaking the separation between participants and the spectacle .
'Theather Piece #1' incorporated a variety of sensory experiences to engage the audience fully. Visually, it featured Robert Rauschenberg's white painting and the performances of dancers like Merce Cunningham among the audience . Auditory elements included John Cage reading a text, M. C. Richards and Charles Olson reading poems, and David Tudor improvising on the piano, with background music from Edith Piaf records . Olfactory and gustatory experiences were added by serving coffee, creating an atmosphere that appealed simultaneously to multiple senses and added to the unpredictability and engagement of the event .
Modern happenings are influenced by elements from television and visual media through the integration of mass media storytelling techniques and visual styles. This influence is evident in the incorporation of dynamic visuals, editing styles, and a focus on capturing immediate audience reactions, similar to live broadcasts . Furthermore, the spontaneity and participatory nature of television events like flash mobs, seen in projects such as The T-Mobile Dance at Liverpool Station, highlight how happenings can harness media aesthetics to engage broader audiences and create shared, real-time experiences that begin intersecting public and personal spaces .
Audience participation is a distinguishing feature of happenings compared to traditional performance arts. In happenings, the audience is not separate from the performance but rather becomes part of it, either directly through interaction or indirectly through the breaking of the 'fourth wall' . This participation transforms the spectators into active contributors to the unfolding event, blurring the line between performer and observer and fostering a collaborative creation process that defies static scripts and pre-determined outcomes . This unpredictability ensures each performance is unique, fundamentally altering the nature of the artistic experience and transforming the space into a dynamic interplay of art and audience involvement.
Pop Art and Minimalism contribute significantly to the philosophical underpinnings of happenings by emphasizing everyday life and simplicity in art. Pop Art's focus on commercial culture and everyday objects is mirrored in happenings' use of non-traditional materials and settings, which challenge the art world's boundaries by questioning what can be considered art . Minimalism's emphasis on simplicity and reduction can be seen in happenings through their focus on basic, raw performances free from elaborate narratives or excessive production, thereby engaging audiences in a more direct and stripped-down interaction with art . Together, these movements help frame happenings as a challenge to art conventions, promoting a closer connection between art, artist, and audience.









