Merce Cunningham was arguably the art world’s favourite choreographer. From 1964 until his death in 2009, he produced over 800 “Events.” Each Event comprised a different sequence of excerpts from his repertory, parts of works in progress, and new material. Each lasted around ninety minutes, without an intermission, and no two performances were the same. Events were performed in museums and galleries, but also in gymnasia, theatres, public squares, and on television. A dance history written from the perspective of art history, Merce Cunningham’s Events provides a new approach to understanding this innovative format. It argues that the Events place pressure on, and even dismantle, conventional readings of Cunningham’s work— especially the now overfamiliar concepts of chance, collage, and collaboration. They anticipate a contemporary culture of curating and remixing, while providing. an important precursor to the rise of dance and performance in museums.weiterlesen