African American Performance Art Archive

Maren Hassinger describes the artwork: “Questionnaire about 9/11. After the opening, notebooks were left in the gallery and the viewers were asked to complete the form on their own.” A reviewer described the piece: “Maren Hassinger solicits response with her Why Did This Happen? that consists of a notebook of paper on which participants may provide their answer.”

Hassinger presented Why Did This Happen? in an exhibition, “Unforgettable,” featuring artworks that responded to the events of 9/11. Curated by Judy Collischan for Chelsea Studio Gallery, New York, the exhibition ran September 5-28, 2002. Hassinger also presented this work at the “Faculty Show,” Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, in 2002.

For a review of “Unforgettable,” see “Ausschreibung ‘Unforgettable’ @ Berliner Kunstprojekt,” NYArts (December 2002).