The Downtown Pop Underground

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Father of Bibbe Hansen, Fluxus artist Al Hansen was an early Happenings innovator who was the first to publish a book about the subject, A Primer of Happenings and Time/Space Art, in 1965. [more]

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Suicide frontman Alan Vega began as a visual artist and sculptor before his career trajectory was forever altered after witnessing Iggy Pop onstage in 1969, which led him to form Suicide with keyboardist Martin Rev. [more]

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Like many artists who became part of 1960s avant-garde art movements, Allan Kaprow developed an expanded approach to painting, composition, poetry, and, eventually, performance—when he coined the term “Happenings.” [more]

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Best known for his Pop Art silkscreened work, Andy Warhol was a key connector figure who circulated not only through uptown art circles, but also within the underground film, poetry, theater, and music scenes. [more]

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The original drummer for the Velvet Underground, Angus MacLise first collaborated with John Cale and Tony Conrad in LaMonte Young’s Theatre of Eternal Music. [more]

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Off-Off-Broadway actor Benton Quin contributed props and sets to Blondie’s early live shows after Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, and Gary Valentine moved into the Bowery building where he lived, which became known as the ”Blondie Loft.” [more]

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OK Harris, one of the first galleries to open in SoHo, was owned by Ivan Karp—an art dealer who played an early role in promoting Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Robert Rauschenberg (in 1970, Karp booked one of Suicide's earliest performances at OK Harris). [more]

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Well before she became Lily Tomlin’s longtime collaborator and partner, Village resident Jane Wagner met Andy Warhol in 1965 and developed several Factory connections, including Jackie Curtis, who befriended Wagner. [more]

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Cartoonist John Holmstrom cofounded Punk magazine with Eddie “Legs” McNeil and Ged Dunn Jr. after attending the School of Visual Arts with Blondie's Chris Stein, who became a regular contributor to the magazine. [more]

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Painter Robert Rauschenberg was associated with the Pop Art movement, but he was also involved with performances at Judson Memorial Church—designing sets and collaborating with his friends John Cage and Merce Cunningham. [more]

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Chelsea Hotel co-owner and manager Stanley Bard filled its lobby with art created by those who couldn’t pay for their rooms (Bard not only accepted artwork in lieu of rent money, he also charged artists lower rent than other professionals). [more]