It's Happening Now!

Between Houellebecq and Hooligans

6 May 2007
6 May 2007

It's Happening Now! was an unpredictable evening with more than 20 artists who still believe a Happening does stand a chance. With performances and contributions of Alexandra Bachzetsis, Marc Bijl, Tina Bleuler, Martin Butler, Mr and Mrs Cameron, Bogomir Doringer, Nezaket Ekici, Cyrus Frisch, Arnoud Holleman, Rob Malasch, Junko Murakawa, L.A. Raeven, Tarik Sadouma, Style Free, Stefanos Tsivopoulos, Ulay, Lies Vanborm and Louwrien Wijers.

Once, sometime in the 60s, Remco Campert said: These days you can stamp your feet once in Amsterdam and you've got a Happening on your hands. But in the meantime that stamping has been declared true and respectable art. All that happened then is now being treasured inside museums- and if it weren't so pathetic, it could even be funny. Even the Happenings' granddad, Alan Kaprow, has not been able to avoid becoming en vogue now, with an exhibition in the Van Abbe Museum.

In those days, you had to keep your eyes peeled for things happening, the Happening as it was called. Amsterdam especially had a reputation as a magic centre. But looking back on all that, it now seems too idealistic, too naïve, too conscientiously artistic or too noisily provocative. No one re-viewing all those manifestations, recorded on black-and-white film or photo, feels obliged to bring it all back to life.

One question urges itself upon us though: What would a Happening be like in this day and age? Is there a possible middle ground between John Cage's happening as an Art Form and Jan Cremer's thoughts on a Vitaliser? Would it be possible, without nostalgic sentiments, to retrieve some remnant of the artistic impulse? Perhaps the best way would be to taboo the old image of the Happening and go for it with a clean slate. And to do that in a world where writer Houllebecq's cynicism is all the rage, hooligans re-enact the true 'happenings' in the streets, but also a world in which the artist often all too happily retreats into his artistic shell.

The it's Happening Now! show, organised by Mediamatic on May 6 2007 has the characteristics of a film set. Cameramen will trump the filming cellphones of the public in documenting what is happening. It will be a stage for a cinematic event at which the new talent will create a stir, but the old avant-gardist will still come into his own. With a leading role for the audience, the motto being: Make your own Happening!

Location: Club-restaurant 11, Post CS building, Oosterdokskade 5 1011 AD, Amsterdam.
No charge.

The manifestation was supported by:

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It's Happening now! -

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Ulay performing as Atlas - Uwe Laysiepen performed at the Mediamatic Performance event "It's Happening Now" at Club11 in the Post S building in Amsterdam Willem Velthoven

With: Ulay
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Mondriaan Stichting -

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AFK logo - Dit is het logo van Amsterdams fonds voor de kunst. Met goede bedoelingen gepikt van de website van Fonds voor de letteren.

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L.A.Raeven - naambadges met stickers in verschillende kleuren - (met verschillende betekenissen) Peter Luining

With: L.A. Raeven
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Elke bezoeker werd bij binnenkomst met foto geregistreerd - foto van Marco Wessel Marco Wessel

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Junko Murakawa - foto van Marco Wessel Marco Wessel

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Junko Murakawa - foto van Marco Wessel Marco Wessel

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Rob Malasch "Madonna" - foto van Marco Wessel Marco Wessel

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Marc Bijl speelt Wilhelmus - foto van Marco Wessel Marco Wessel

With: Marc Bijl
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Marc Bijl - opnames voor videoclip Goetterdaemmerung - foto van Marco Wessel Marco Wessel

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Marc Bijl videoclip - paaldanseres Kelly - foto van Marco Wessel Marco Wessel

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Marc Bijl videoclip - paaldanseres Maria - foto van Marco Wessel Marco Wessel

With: Marc Bijl
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..and beyond - model - foto van Marco Wessel Marco Wessel

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Style Free - foto van Marco Wessel Marco Wessel

With: Style Free
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Arnoud Holleman - It's Happening now! Michel Langendijk

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Martin Butler - foto van Arne Hendriks Arne Hendriks

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Bogomir Doringer - Sascha Pohflepp

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Nezaket Ekici met haar wijnjurk - Nezaket Ekici met haar wijnjurk Marco Wessel

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Tarik Saduma - Peter Luining

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hoepel performance - Peter Luining

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Cyrus Frisch - Peter Luining

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Ulay - Michel Langendijk

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Lies Vanborm en Alexandra Bachzetsis i.s.m. Tina Bleuler - foto van Marco Wessel Marco Wessel

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Audience - Sascha Pohflepp

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DJs Mrs and Mr Cameron - Peter Luining