Happenings — Reuben Breslar

In 2007 I began hosting community-based Happenings that transform galleries into sites of social intervention. These projects are explorations of the social politics of galleries and address the functional roles that they play in their communities. All of my Happenings deal with organizing people, creating a ritual, and growing together through a vulnerable experience. Mostly, I want to combat our over-mediated reality with an opportunity to celebrate the human experience directly, involving elements of physicality, behavior, play and trust.

Draw-In

After/Time Collective / Portland, OR

January 28, 2023 3-7pm

This Happening was similar but different from previous Draw-Ins as participants had the option to take part in surprise drawing prompts designed to bring us closer together. Doodles, Telestrations and Exquisite Corpse were a few of the activities on the list. This Draw-In had an especially strong organic group-share component that included vulnerable depictions about mental health practices and art community concerns. Space was respectfully held and shared amongst all participants.

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Furthermore, LLC / Washington, DC

Beachy

December 14, 2013 7-11pm

In the winter of 2013 I hosted a Happening called Beachy that invited participants into a multi-sensory parallel universe to enjoy a transcendental beach getaway equipped with simulated amenities found in luxury vacation packages. Incorporating themes of time travel, constructed environments and leisure, this experience created a unique opportunity for me to work with close friends and performance artists to celebrate the local community while showing love and appreciation for everyone involved. This Happening was a departure for me as I took on a new role of Producer while planning the event over the course of several months, orchestrating 9 performers and constructing a multipart installation.

Performers included: Philip Barlow, Lorenzo Cardin, Michaël Gagnon, Amanda Kleinman, Armando Lopez-Bircann, Katie Macyshyn, Adrian Parson, Sheldon Scott and Kevin Sottek.

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Touch

Supernova Performance Art Festival / Arlington, VA

June 8, 2013 12-7pm

As part of Supernova, an interactive, multi-artist, art performance experience in the Rosslyn Business Improvement District, I contributed a variation of my “Touch” Happening. In this specific outdoor arena my missive was to use my art to connect with as many people as possible by demonstrating the holistic benefits of art and impressing upon others the need to keep the arts alive in our communities and public spaces.

Touch

Salon Contra / Washington, DC

July 27, 2011 7-9pm

The Touch Happening created a safe place where participants were given the opportunity to re-imagine how we meet and interact with each other, by breaking down barriers of personal space and sharing close encounters through body paint and physical touch.

Photo credit Page Carr

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Draw-In

Transformer / Washington, DC

April 23 & 29, 2011

The Draw-In at Transformer took place over two separate days in April 2011 and utilized both the interior gallery space and exterior street front to attract crowds and invite children to also participate in the community exchange.

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Draw-In

Civilian Art Projects / Washington, DC

May 30, 2007

My second Draw-In took place at Civilian Art Projects, an emerging artist gallery located in the Chinatown district. Occurring alongside their adjacent shows, “Tracking Transience: The Orwell Project” and “Out There Is In Here”, the Draw-In fit well with the gallery’s identity of supporting community awareness. Similar to the first Draw-In, in both medium and approach, this Happening was also intentionally not documented to support an element of impermanence and purity.

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Draw-In

Project 4 / Washington, DC

March 24, 2007

I held my first Draw-In at Project 4, an up-and-coming gallery in the U Street corridor specializing in contemporary art. The timing was fortuitous as the gallery director believed in my project vision and saw the benefits in overlap with their current show, “Specimen”. Utilizing Xerox paper and pencils as the medium of connection, visitors congregated, drew together, shared libations and relaxed. I intentionally did not take any photos or video of the Happening to uphold an element of impermanence and purity.

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Drawing

Installation