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Al Hansen

Al Hansen (1927, New York City - June 22 1995. Cologne, Germany) was an American artist.

He was a member of the Fluxus art movement and friend to Yoko Ono and John Cage. While serving in Germany in World War II Hansen pushed a piano off the roof of a five story building. This act became the foundation of one of his most recognized performance pieces, the Yoko Ono Piano Drop. He was a frequent visitor to The Factory, Andy Warhols infamous studio in New York. Hansen also studied with and worked with the composer John Cage at the New School for Social Research in New York City. Hansen was perhaps best known for his performance pieces, his participation in Happenings, and for his collages in which he often used cigarette butts and candy bar wrappers as the raw materials. He wrote an important book about performance art, "A Primer of Happenings and Time Space Art" published by Something Else Press in 1965. In the 1980's Hansen moved to Cologne, Germany where he established an art school. He died in Cologne in 1995.

Al Hansen was the father of Andy Warhol protege Bibbe Hansen and the grandfather and artistic mentor of rock musician Beck.

Last updated: 10-15-2005 15:03:35
Last updated: 01-04-2007 01:18:57
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