Blaithin Mac Donnell will be hosting a bar at tonights Artists Behind Bars in Archway 29/9/2022.

Blaithin Mac Donnell's bar plays on the structure of the snug from her grandparents pub. As Dingle gin and tonics are served through the hatch a narrative unfolds.

Blaithin and Aled Simons have collaborated on this sound piece.
in Simons' words

" Londoners go to Artists Behind Bars. Im not in it but I collaborated with Blaithin Mac Donnell to make a party playlist of records, interwoven found sound and readings- featuring foraging, food dye, a bird doing chainsaw impressions and Ecco the dolphin."

Blaithin Mac Donnell and Aled Simons

March 2020 I was about to host Artists Behind Bars at the Bomb Factory.
Hugo Danino had set up his Speaker Palace at the Factory but that night Covid was declared a pandemic so we had to cancel the event but left the doors open for anyone who felt brave enough to visit.

4 strangers wandered through the doors. I arrived a bit later. The room was empty but full of  atmosphere, it was  strange and brilliant .. it felt like the last party on the planet and we were the last ones e left dancing.

I wrote and recorded this song in my bedroom during lockdown.
It seems appropriate to upload today as tonight we are back at the Bomb Factory for Artists Behind Bars .. The happening that didn't happen in 2020 but it is now.

Lastparty ( a demo inspired by Artists Behind Bars)

A 15 minute talk about Andy Warhol's influence on the Wannabe video

IMAGE SLIDESHOW
Slide Show
From left to right 
1. How to Make a Happening - Alan Kaprow 1966.  2. A Happening Waiting To Happen- 
Kitty Finer 2020. 3 The Velvet Underground. 1969. 4.Kurt Cobain in Daniel Johnston’s T. 90s
5. Daniel Johnston with tape - 90s. 6. Kitty as Kurt for Wannabe video 2018 7. Skater in empty pool 90s. 8. “In My Room” - Kitty by Olive April 2020 9. Lobby Star photo shoot at Hugos Speaker Palace, Hackney 2014. 10. A Postcard From My Future Bar- Maquette Feb 2020. 11. FRESARTE- readymade April 2020. 12. The day after Hugo’s party March 13th 2020


A Happening waiting to Happen.
Written and recorded by Kitty Finer
for Bath Spa University.
Finer Art BA.
April/May 2020.
 


Image- Zoom screen grab. ( image 2 in grid)
Episode 5 of Heather Woodbury's "As The Globe Warms"
Scene 6. Haberdash A Ding Dong Happening- Tompkins Square Park, NYC  1984.
 - performed by Alex Brenchley, Marcia Farquhar,  Ella FinerJem Finer, Kitty Finer, Graham Kennedy, David Lees and Blaithin Mac Donnell on ZOOM and live streamed on youtube 
25TH APRIL 2020.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrVHvkzel6M
 

This year I have re-vsited my past Workshop "What's happening now?
Taking in to consideration the current situation we find ourselves in I ask What's Happening now- How do Happenings happen at a distance? 
From Happenings to mis-happenings from Kaprow to Cardi B.

What's Happening Now? 
2019 workshop
A discussion and workshop revolving around the history of Happenings. We will look back and consider the way in which the spontaneous and temporary Happenings from the past have lived on through photographs and oral history. What is happening now? How has our relationship with social media effected the way we can document the ephemeral /spontaneous or even "throw away" moment in order to instantly capture a moment / Happening in time.

soundtrack
1.The Prisoner soundtrack: Dream Party- 
2.Kitty Finer- "Act One"- crowd scene 
3. Leo Varadak's St Patricks day address
4 "No Place like home" - The Wizard Of Oz
5.William Gibson on the end of the world with David Remnic- New Yorker Podcast https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/william-gibson-on-the-end-of-the-future-and-a-democratic-party-divided

6.Kim Kardashian - 73 Questions - Vogue
7. Cardi B- Corona virus rant
8. Alan Kaprow- How to make a happening
9. Kitty Finer-"Wannabe"
10. Kitty and Olive- voice memo -"Ocean Eyes"  cover. March 2020
11. SPACES: Inside the Tiny Bedroom Where FINNEAS and Billie Eilish Are Redefining Pop Music
12.William Gibson on the end of the world with David Remnic- New Yorker Podcast
13. #GeniusNews #SongStories
How Cardi B's Coronavirus Rant Became A Hit Song | Song Stories
14. Hugo's party at the Bomb factory- voice memo recording.
15. Kitty Finer- "Last Party"  bedroom recording April 2020
16. Jem Finer- Thursday NHS recordings
17- Beach Boys- In My Room

A Happening Waiting To Happen -

Kitty Finer is a singing song writer from London. Before going solo she used to play drums in various bands.

Kitty Finer

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