Happening

Happening or happenings is a noun that can refer to an event or occurrence, often something unusual or noteworthy. In everyday usage, it denotes any occurrence, sometimes used with a sense of spontaneity or drama.

More specifically, a happening is a type of performance art associated with the late 1950s and 1960s in the United States, especially New York. Pioneered by artist Allan Kaprow, who organized "18 Happenings in 6 Parts" in 1959, these events were typically unscripted and process-oriented. They aimed to involve the audience as participants, blur the boundaries between art and daily life, and move away from traditional art objects. Happenings often employed multimedia components, improvisation, chance operations, and nontraditional venues, such as galleries, streets, or found spaces. They were usually short-lived and ephemeral, with the experience or event itself serving as the artwork rather than a lasting object.

Impact and legacy: Happenings contributed to the development of performance art and conceptual art. They influenced later participatory and site-specific works, as well as immersive theatre and social practice art. The term gradually fell out of use as other forms of live art emerged, but the emphasis on audience participation, spontaneity, and the rejection of a fixed object continues to resonate in contemporary art discourse. Outside art, the word happenings remains a generic term for events or occurrences, sometimes carrying a connotation of novelty or drama.