American artist Allan Kaprow (1927 – 2006) has been described as an avant-garde revolutionary, a radical sociologist, a progressive educator and one of the most influential artists of his day. Known for his ‘Happenings’, Kaprow coined the term to describe his anarchic gatherings in 1960s New York, in which the audience became participants.

American artist Allan Kaprow (1927 – 2006) has been described as an avant-garde revolutionary, a radical sociologist, a progressive educator and one of the most influential artists of his day. Known for his ‘Happenings’, Kaprow coined the term to describe his anarchic gatherings in 1960s New York, in which the audience became participants.

This summer, Scottish and international artists will reinvent artworks from Kaprow’s career, reimagining them for our extraordinary current moment and our new shared reality. These are not historic re-enactments of Kaprow’s work, but unique and original reinventions of Kaprow’s ideas and sculptural environments created in response to what’s happening in the world right now by artists Andrea Büttner, James Hoff, Peter Liversidge, Cinzia Mutigli, members of ORBIT Youth Council and the Wilson family.

“Forget all the standard art forms—don’t paint pictures, don’t make poetry, don’t build architecture, don’t arrange dances, don’t write plays, don’t compose music, don’t make movies, and above all don’t think you’ll get a happening by putting all these together.” -Kaprow, 1966.

The following works by Allan Kaprow are being reinvented as part of this series:

Out / Exit Piece, 1966 / 2020
Reinvented by Peter Liversidge

Sweet Wall, 1970 / 2020
Reinvented by Cinzia Mutigli

How to Make a Happening, 1966 / 2020
Reinvented by James Hoff

Yard, 1961 / 2020
Reinvented by the Wilson Family
A monumental installation of tyres blocking the main avenue to Bonnington House.

Transfer, 1968 / 2020
Reinvented by the Wilson Family
An ever-changing sculpture composed of oil barrels reconfigured regularly across the landscape of Jupiter.

Photograph of Allan Kaprow courtesy of Kaprow Estate and Hauser & Wirth