January 2009
Upcoming Justseeds show/installation project in Milwaukee
Posted January 31, 2009 by nicolas_lampert in Justseeds & Member Projects
In late February/early March 2009, upwards of fifteen Justseeds artists will converge in Milwaukee for a week to create a massive floor-to-ceiling installation at the Union Art Gallery at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee that will combines elements of street art, stencils, sculpture and other mediums.
The installation is titled "Which Side Are You On?" and it will examine the use of walls as physical and mental barriers that create de-facto segregation, whether it is the walls that divide nation states, the streets that separate one side of town from the other, or the barriers that separate humans from the environment. "Which Side Are You On?" challenges these barriers while envisioning a more just and sustainable future.
During the install, we'll post photos on the Justseeds blog of the work in progress.
Upcoming dates:
Monday, March 2nd, 7:00pm, Union Fireside Lounge: talk by Josh MacPhee on the present and past political, social, and aesthetic development of activist printmaking from around the world.
Tuesday, March 3rd, 5pm, Union Art Gallery: stop in the Union Art Gallery for a chance to see the Justseeds installation in progress. During the walk through, meet and talk with the artists involved in the installation.
Thursday, March 5th, 5-8pm, Union Art Gallery: opening reception
Saturday, March 7th, 12:30-3:30, Union Studio Arts and Craft Centre: printmaking workshop with Josh MacPhee. Call the Craft Centre at 414-229-5535 to register.
The exhibition will run from March 5th - April 3rd
UWM Union Art Gallery is located at:
Campus Level, Room W199
2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.
Milwaukee, WI 53211
414.229.6310
Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri & Sat 12-5pm; Thu 12-7pm
The exhibition "Which Side Are You On" is co-sponsored by Students for a Democratic Society at UWM
Pre-war Japanese Political Posters
Posted January 31, 2009 by jmacphee in Posters & Prints
In doing research for Signs of Change my friend Sabu Khoso sent me a great link to the Ohara Institute for Social Research, which has an amazing web page of 1920's-1940's Japanese political posters, mostly from labor organizations. Look at it HERE. Sara Lewison just reminded me about it, so I thought it would be good to post here and let other people take a peek. There's over 1000 posters to look through! No English translations for most yet, but supposedly that's on the way. There is English background info HERE.
Agitate! Educate! Organize!
Posted January 30, 2009 by jmacphee in Books & Zines
Political graphics historian Lincoln Cushing has a new book coming out in the Spring called Agitate! Educate! Organize!: American Labor Posters. It's a giant collection of over 250 labor posters from the United States, something that has never been put together in a book before. It will also include a number of posters from the Graphic Work exhibition I curated, and pieces by multiple Justseeds artists. Lincoln has a webpage up with more info on the book, check it out here.
Jean Cozzens brother report from Damascus
Posted January 29, 2009 by meredith_stern in In the News
My friend Jean's brother is in Damascus and I thought people may be interested in hearing an account from someone from the states visiting the region.
His blog is called Abu Wilyam
Jean's intro is in the extended entry.
Historical Memory
Posted January 29, 2009 by icky in Inspiration
A friend sent me link to some interesting montage made by Sergei Larenkov in honor of the 65th anniversary of the Leningrad Blockade, juxtaposing present day street shots with shots of the same location during the 872 day siege of Leningrad by the Germans in WWII.
http://fima-psuchopadt.livejournal.com/2564781.html
(If you have a fleeting interest in the blockade then you should check out the book:
Blockade Diary by Lidiya Ginzburg)
Justseeds Portfolio Project Opening & Party to celebrate Tamms Year Ten!
Posted January 29, 2009 by nicolas_lampert in Events
Join us this Sunday, February 1 @ 7:00pmin Chicago, at Mess Hall for the Opening of the Justseeds Portfolio Project in Celebration of the Tamms Year Ten Campaign!
In honor of Critical Resistance's 10 Year Anniversary, Justseeds created a limited edition portfolio of original prints that address the prison industrial complex &/or alternatives to incarceration. Twenty artists from the US, Canada & Mexico contributed prints to this portfolio now on exhibit at Mess Hall!
This event is also a celebration of the Tamms Year Ten Campaign! Justseeds donated over 50 portfolios to anti-prison movement groups including Chicago’s own Tamms Year Ten. Come celebrate the successes of the Tamms Year Ten campaign, or come to learn more about the conditions at Tamms super-max prison, the campaign, & how you can get involved! Together we can end torture in Illinois!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
7:00pm-11:00pm
Mess Hall
6932 N Glenwood, Chicago
just across from the Morse stop on the Red Line
(773) 465-4033
You Don't Have to Fuck People Over to Survive
Posted January 29, 2009 by jmacphee in Art & Politics
Here's a cool little video of Seth Tobocman performing his classic piece, You Don't Have to Fuck People Over to Survive. It was made by Andrew Lynn of Breathing Planet from a performance at the Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy, NY.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Xicana/o struggle for land
Posted January 29, 2009 by Melanie_Cervantes in Art & Politics
On February 2, 1848, a Mexican delegation ratified the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, with Mexico accepting the Rio Grande as the Texas border and ceding almost half its territory (which incorporated the present day-states of California, New Mexico, Nevada, and parts of Colorado, Arizona, Utah and even Oklahoma) to the United States in return for $15 million.
The version of the treaty ratified by the United States Senate eliminated Article X, which stated that the U.S. government would honor and guarantee all land grants awarded in lands ceded to the United States to citizens of Spain and Mexico by those respective governments. Article VIII guaranteed that Mexicans who remained more than one year in the ceded lands would automatically become full-fledged American citizens (or they could declare their intention of remaining Mexican citizens); however, the Senate modified Article IX, changing the first paragraph and excluding the last two. Among the changes was that Mexican citizens would "be admitted at the proper time (to be judged of by the Congress of the United States)" instead of "admitted as soon as possible", as negotiated between Nicolas Trist and the Mexican delegation.
Apart from the impact of losing over half of their territory, the Mexicans had lost a measure of dignity. To this day the lack of enforcement of the Treaty remains an issue for Xicana/os with the U.S government. For many Xicana/os this is our land based struggle as Indigenous people. We see this struggle as one parallel and shared with Northern Native American’s struggle over treaty rights.
Melanie Cervantes and Jesus Barraza collaborated on designing the promotional flyers and a commemorative screen printed poster for the annual Bay Area Treaty of Guadalupe “remembrance” event organized by the grassroots group Huaxtec.
Huaxtec is a organizations comprised of young Xicanas and Xicanos in the Bay Area who are learning their traditions as Indigenous people and organizing in their schools, community and to continue resistance against colonization.
(Much of this writing is borrowed form Rodolfo Acuna's Occupied America: A History of Chicanos)
Unsung: The Story of RC Tomilson
Posted January 29, 2009 by Jesus_Barraza in Posters & Prints
I just finished this poster for my friend Pepe Urquijo for a documentary film he is working on about RC Tomilson, a reggae artist from Jamaica. He has been working on the film for a few months and screened a rough cut at the Balazo 18 in the San Francisco Mission District. Pepe is going to go back to Jamaica this Spring to finish up the film and to help him fundraise for his trip we designed and printed this poster. To find out more about Pepe's film and upcoming showings look him up on Facebook and make him your friend.
Josh MacPhee Interview in Last Hours
Posted January 28, 2009 by jmacphee in Interviews
In the Fall of 2007, Icky and I traveled to Europe and tabled at the Anarchist Bookfair in London. We met Edd, a great cartoonist, and editor of Last Hours, a kick-ass UK magazine which is like a combination of Left Turn and Punk Planet, with great anti-authoritarian content, lots of art, good design, etc. Edd did an interview with me, which ended up coming out a couple months ago in their latest print edition, #17. The issue is great, with a focus on "Radical Illustration," and interviews with Nikki McClure and Alan Moore (of V for Vendetta fame). Now my interview has gone up online. If you want to see it with the pictures, click here. Otherwise, here's the content:
Josh MacPhee is one of those people who are difficult to categorise. He’s an artist, an author, a zine maker, radical, and a curator pretty much all at the same time! He established a novel distribution network called Justseeds back in 1998 with the intention of getting more radical art projects out to the public. Over the years it has grown and morphed and is currently an artists collective known as Justseeds Visual Resistance.He has also published a number of books, most recently Realizing the Impossible, which he co-edited with Erik Reuland. His book I first encountered though was Stencil Pirates back in 2004, which my friends and I returned to fitfully during that hot summer as we explored our city with our spraycans. I met him, almost by accident, at 2007’s anarchist bookfair where he had a table hidden in the back of the hall. Early in 2008 I finally sent through some questions about Justseeds, radical art, the Celebrate People’s History poster project he established and some of his future projects he’s working on.
Last Hours: To start from the beginning how did you get involved in creating artwork, was it something you were always interested in or something that developed. Likewise what led you to become interested in radical politics? Were you always interested in creating ‘political’ art or did one proceed the other?
Josh MacPhee: Both my parents are teachers, and my Dad was a high school art teacher (recently retired). I grew up around art and books, and art books! I started making art at a really early age, and just never stopped. I don’t have a ton of formal training, art was never something I thought of as a career. I didn’t go to art school, it’s just something I’ve always done. At some point I realized art was the thing I enjoyed doing most in life, and I should figure out how to spend as much time as possible doing it.
Austin Chronicle article on Brandon Darby
Posted January 27, 2009 by k_c_ in In the News
Here's a recent article, about Brandon Darby, from the Austin Chronicle, in Texas. The article describes a lot of tried and true tactics learned from previous FBI programs such as COINTELPRO.
The Informant
Revolutionary to rat: The uneasy journey of Brandon Darby
By Diana Welch
Last year on Aug. 28, eight Austin activists traveled north in a rented white van to join thousands of protesters in St. Paul, Minn., for the Republican National Convention. In the trailer behind them were shields homemade from traffic barrels – cut in half, painted black, and fitted with Plexiglas windows. The shields mimic police riot gear and are often used in "black blocs," a method of street protesting with origins in Germany that became prominent stateside at the 1999 Seattle World Trade Organization protests, during which a black bloc caused property damage to various businesses. The black bloc is sort of like the punk rock version of protest, and its alluring combination of direct action and danger similarly attracts mostly young, white men.
Decaying Buildings
Posted January 27, 2009 by jmacphee in Inspiration
My friend Shaun Gilheeney from Providence, RI just sent me a link to his new site, which documents a large body of print and painting work he's been doing over the past 3 years. All his paintings and prints are based off of what must have been an amazing decaying laundry building near his house. The textures and haunting mood he's been able to pull out of the subject are quite amazing. Here's a couple of his images, one painting and one etching, go to the site to see more.
R&R interview on Brooklyn Street Art Blog
Posted January 27, 2009 by jmacphee in Books & Zines
Brooklynstreetart.com has posted an interview I did with them about the Reproduce & Revolt book. Check it out HERE.
Our Flesh of Flames
Posted January 26, 2009 by jmacphee in Events
Our Flesh of Flames
Featuring the work of Theodore A. Harris and Amiri Baraka
January 29th-February 26th, 2009
Opening Night reception January 29th 6- PM
@ the Brecht Forum, NYC
The Brecht Forum is proud to exhibit Our Flesh of Flames featuring the collages of Theodore A. Harris and the poetic captions of legendary writer and social activist Amiri Baraka.
Posed against an eerily iridescent orange sky, Harris' collaged landscapes are filled with urban dystopia. Upside down capitols, distorted bank notes pose the reality of a society fettered by the cash nexus. Images of John Coltrane, Muhammed Ali and Paul Robeson are juxtaposed with protest scenes showing the creative and transformative power of African American social movements.
Controversial critic and poet Amiri Baraka provides lyrical assault through his captions with his trademark humor and biting social commentary. First published as in 2008, Our Flesh of Flames is Harris and Baraka's stunning contribution to African American arts and letters
Media Assassin and Brecht Event-NYC
Posted January 25, 2009 by k_c_ in Inspiration
I was just sent an event listing called Biggie, Brooklyn and the World at the Brecht Forum. The title and description are intriguing, and posted below, and what I found immediately inspiring was Harry Allen's blog, Media Assassin. His bio in the email is as follows
Hip-Hop Activist & Media Assassin, writes about race, politics, and culture for VIBE, The Source, The Village Voice, and other publications, and has been doing so for over twenty years.As an expert covering hip-hop culture, he has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, on National Public Radio, MTV, VH-1, CNN, the BBC, and other information channels. Others know him for his long-time association with the seminal band Public Enemy, and for his widely-heard "cameo" on their classic record, "Don't Believe the Hype."
It gave me a few chuckles and a lot more to search thru.
Have Our Weary Feet Come to the Place for Which Our Fathers Sighed?
The Year of Living Sexually is a post about Nonfiction a program on WBAI.
The New Blackface of Fashion is what it appears.
and the first post I saw
Super Zero a link to Marvel's new create your own superhero!
OK, I did mention there is an event at the Brecht Forum, its Wednesday, Jan 28th, read below:
Mike Stephens at Dirty Pilot
Posted January 25, 2009 by jmacphee in Art & Politics
My friend Mike Stephens has a nice online show up on DirtyPilot.com. Mike is an amazing block printer from Corpus Christi, TX, and a print of his has been in the Paper Politics show for years. His prints are amazingly detailed and strange, the trials and tribulations of his alter-egos, who are almost always dumpy, overweight, washed-up superheroes! Check it out here.
Upcoming show in Madison: ARTISTS AGAINST THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Posted January 24, 2009 by nicolas_lampert in Events
Wisconsin Books to Prisoners a project of Rainbow Bookstore, is sponsoring an exhibit ARTISTS AGAINST THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. The show will run from Jan 30 – Feb 5th at Project Lodge, 817 E. Johnson in Madison. Opening reception is at 7 pm, Friday Jan 30th.
Over 70 drawings by prisoners that address the use of prisons, policing and punishment as a “solution” to social, political and economic problems will be on display.
The show was inspired by printmakers from the Justseeds Radical Artists’ Cooperative (www.justseeds.org) who created more than 20 posters in 2008 in honor of the 10th anniversary of Critical Resistance, a prison abolitionist movement. Twenty-five posters from Justseeds, which include Wisconsin artists Nicolas Lampert and Colin Matthes will be on display. Other political artists in Wisconsin have also contributed prints to the show.
Spoken word artists from the First Wave Spoken Word and Urban Arts Learning Community, including Sophia Snow, Alida Carlos Whaley and others will perform pieces topical to the show. Again, please join us for the opening reception on Friday, January 30th, from 7 pm -10 pm.
Contributions to support the costs of shipping books to prisoners are appreciated. Those unable to attend the show are welcome to send donations to Wisconsin Books to Prisoners/Rainbow Books, 426 W. Gilman St.. Madison, WI 53703. Tax-deductible donations can be made out to our fiscal sponsor "PC Foundation” with "WI Books to
Prisoners" in the memo line.
Since the inception of Wisconsin Books to Prisoners in the fall of 2006, WBTP has sent over 12,000 books to prisoners nationwide. Although Wisconsin Books to Prisoners is still banned by the WI Department of Corrections from sending used books to prisoners in WI, it continues to send books to federal and state prisoners nationwide, including an outreach program for LGTB prisoners.
Wisconsin prisoners deserve the right to read and access to books from book to prisoner projects. Those concerned about the ban should phone the Governor’s office at 608-266-1212; the WI DOC Administrator at 608-240-5104; and the WI DOC secretary at 608-240-5055 to voice their objections.
Contact for the show:
Camy Matthay
maha@chorus.net
Review of Realizing the Impossible
Posted January 24, 2009 by jmacphee in Books & Zines
Here's a new review of Realizing the Impossible from the UK anarchist mag Direct Action #41:
Reviews: Realizing the Impossible: Art against Authority by Josh MacPhee and Erik Reuland AK Press 2007 – 319 pages – £16.00 – ISBN: 9781904859321This monochrome book arrived shortly after an interview with Banksy, the “graffiti artist”, had been aired on the BBC. A commentator went along to a working men’s (sic) club in Bethnal Green to view Banksy’s diversion of yellow road markings across the pavement and up the wall to blossom into a flower. Banksy says in the book, “Imagine a city where graffiti wasn’t illegal…a city which felt like a living breathing thing which belonged to everybody, not just real estate agents and the barons of big business”. The club secretary was quite pleased to leave it there. But not all graffiti is of artistic merit and many regard it as degrading the environment. Do graffitos adorn their own dwellings thus?
Think-Palestine-Act
Posted January 23, 2009 by k_c_ in Inspiration
There is a brand new site called Think-Palestine-Act which will house resources "to (help) learn, teach, organize, and act with Palestine". The site is described on their homepage as a place where
you will find resources for learning about the Palestinian struggle while developing ways to articulate and address all of our connections to colonialism, racism and militarism. We will provide concrete activity suggestions, lesson plans, curriculum resources, and audio-visual materials for educators and community organizers to use in connecting grassroots movements in the U.S. and Palestine
The site was recently constructed and material is still being added to it. At the moment there is no contact info, so check back frequently, if you have any material to contribute!
Anarchist Studies cover
Posted January 23, 2009 by jmacphee in Books & Zines
One of my images is on the cover of the new Anarchist Studies journal, a publication that comes out of the UK. The issue is on "Post Anarchism" and is edited by Saul Newman. Haven't had a chance to crack the spine yet, but there's a number of articles in here that look interesting, including "A is for Anarchy, V is for Vendetta: Images of Guy Fawkes and the Creation of Postmodern Anarchism."
Rendition of "Down by the Riverside" for Gaza
Posted January 22, 2009 by k_c_ in Art & Politics
Some folks changed the lyrics to Down by the Riverside to reflect the current needs of everyone living in Gaza. They went onto the NYC subways and sang some songs for Martin Luther King's Birthday.
R&R in the top 10!
Posted January 22, 2009 by jmacphee in Books & Zines
Format Magazine has release their Top 10 Street Art Books of 2008, and Reproduce & Revolt is at the top of the list! Check it out here.
Studs Terkel's Working: A Graphic Adaptation
Posted January 21, 2009 by dylan_miner in Justseeds & Member Projects
This Spring, the New Press will release a graphic adaptation of Studs Terkel's Working. Not only is Studs a legend, but this book is quite possibly one of the most important texts of the modern era.
For this project, radical historian Prof. Paul Buhle (he co-edited the Wobblies graphic novel with Nicole Schulman, a good friend of Just Seeds) gathered together an impressive assortment of artists to produce the imagery, while Harvey Pekar scripted the entire thing. I haven't seen the book yet (minus my own illustrations), but it's bound to be chingón!
Artists include:
• Pablo Callejo
• Gary Dumm
• Danny Fingeroth
• Peter Gullerud
• Bob Hall
• Ryan Inzana
• Sabrina Jones
• Peter Kuper
• Terry LaBan
• Dylan Miner (yeah, that's me!)
• Pat Moriarity
• Emily Nemens
• Joan Reilly
• Sharon Rudahl
• Nick Thorkelson
• Anne Timmons
• Lance Tooks
Revel in New York on Tod Seelie
Posted January 21, 2009 by k_c_ in Inspiration
My pal Tod Seelie was recently interviewed by Revel in New York. Tod is a tireless photographer and is always helpful and generous with his tools. Photos for the Threat of Chance show wouldn't have looked so good if they weren't taken with his camera and tripod. Thanks Tod!
City from Below coming-up
Posted January 21, 2009 by jmacphee in Events
Some great folks in Baltimore (Red Emmas, Indypendent Reader) and around the country are planning an exciting conference for March 27-29 called City from Below. If you are all interested in urbanism, public space, who controls cities, the right to city, and the future of urban activism, you might want to hitch a ride to Baltimore at the end of March! Check it out here.
Anarchist Graffiti Snafu
Posted January 20, 2009 by jmacphee in In the News
This story was published in The Olympian on January 14, 2009:
Mixed-martial-arts champion charged in olympia wa. graffiti case
By Jeremy Pawloski
OLYMPIA — Prosecutors have charged Olympia mixed-martial-arts champion and avowed anarchist Jeff Monson with first-degree malicious mischief based on photographs published in a December edition of ESPN The Magazine that 
showed him spray-painting an anarchist symbol on the state Capitol, court papers state. A warrant for Monson’s arrest was filed today in Thurston County Superior Court. Monson, 37, is charged with first-degree malicious mischief, a Class B felony carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
The graffiti cost $19,000 to clean up, court papers state.
Police have sought the people responsible for spray-painting graffiti on columns on the north side of the Capitol on Nov. 26. The graffiti included anarchy symbols, a peace symbol and phrases such as “no war” and “no poverty.”
Preview of Christopher Cardinale's Graphic Novel
Posted January 19, 2009 by molly_fair in Books & Zines
Our friend Christopher Cardinale passed along this preview of his art from his first full length book graphic novel, Mr. Mendoza's Paintbrush, which will be published by Cinco Puntos Press. It is featured in this month's issue of The Comics Journal #295. The novel is an adaptation of a short story of by the widely acclaimed author Luis Urrea. It is scheduled to come out this Spring. Every time I see him he tells me he's hard at work to finish it. I can't wait. You can see more of Christopher's work in World War 3 Illustrated and the mural Not One More Death which some of us collaborated on, with him.
From Cinco Puntos Press:
Be careful growing up in the green, wet, mango-sweet Mexican village of Rosario, where dead corpses rise up out of the cathedral walls during July when it always floods; where vast silver mines beneath the town occasionally collapse causing a whole section of the village to drop out of sight; where a man with a paintbrush, to wit Mr. Mendoza, is the town’s self-appointed conscience.Magic realism, you say to yourself. Luis Urrea affirms to the contrary, “Not magical realism. It’s how kids grow up in Mexico. Especially if you’re a boy.” And the part about Mr. Mendoza is really really true: he brandishes his magical paintbrush everywhere, providing commentary to singe the hearts and souls of boys who are looking to get into trouble. If he catches you peeping at the girls bathing in the river, he’ll steal your pants and paint PERVERT on your naked buttocks. And one day, he performs a painterly act which no one in Rosario ever forgets!
Luis Alberto Urrea is the author of the widely acclaimed novel The Hummingbird’s Daughter and a 2005 Pulitzer Prize finalist for nonfiction for The Devil’s Highway. Inducted into the Latino Literature Hall of Fame, Luis was born in Tijuana, Mexico to a Mexican father and an American mother. This is his first graphic novel and a riveting book, like Vatos, which young adults will love. Check out Luis' commentary on the upcoming Mr. Mendoza's Paintbrush graphic novel.
Christopher Cardinale is a muralist and artist with a social message. His large-scale murals against globalization and war can be seen in New York, Italy, Greece and Mexico. He lives in Brooklyn. He is a regular contributor to the zine World War Three. Check out our blog for an article about Christopher's trip down to the city of Rosario, Sinaloa in Mexico. This is the town where Mr. Mendoza's Paintbrush takes place.
Signs of Change Pittsburgh
Posted January 19, 2009 by jmacphee in Events
The show Dara Greenwald and I curated is opening in Pittsburgh!!!
SIGNS OF CHANGE
Social Movement Cultures 1960s to Now
curated by Dara Greenwald + Josh MacPhee
Jan. 23 – March 8, 2009
Programs:
Jan. 23, Fri. 4:30-6pm:
Curators’ Talk: Visualizing Social Movement Cultures
at McConomy Auditorium in University Center, Carnegie Mellon. Sponsored by
the University Lecture Series + School of Art Lecture Series.
6-8pm: Winter Harvest Reception at Miller Gallery at
Carnegie Mellon University. With DJ Baglady. Live screenprinting
provided by Artists Image Resource + the Andy Warhol Museum.
Feb. 12, Thurs. 8pm:
Film Screening: Finally Got The News (League of Revolutionary Black Workers with Newsreel) at Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Melwood Screening Room.
Feb. 19, Thurs. 5-8pm:
Activist Print Open Studio at Miller Gallery. Live screenprinting provided by the Warhol + AIR.
Feb. 27, Fri. 5pm:
Critical Mass. View exhibition at Miller Gallery first, ride at 5:30pm from Carnegie Library two blocks West.
About the exhibition:
In Signs of Change: Social Movement Cultures 1960s to Now, hundreds of posters, photographs, moving images, audio clips, and ephemera bring to life over forty years of activism, political protest, and campaigns for social justice. Curated by Dara Greenwald and Josh MacPhee, this important and timely exhibition surveys the creative work of dozens of international social movements.
Signs of Change presents the creative outpourings of social movements, such as those for civil rights and black power in the United States; democracy in China; anti-apartheid in Africa; squatting in Europe; environmental activism and women's rights internationally; and the global AIDS crisis, as well as uprisings and protests, such as those for indigenous control of lands; against airport construction in Japan; and for radical social transformation in France. The exhibition also explores the development of powerful counter-cultures that evolve beyond traditional politics and create distinct aesthetics, life-styles, and social organizations.
Although histories of political groups and counter-cultures have been written, and political and activist shows have been held, this exhibition is a groundbreaking attempt to chronicle the artistic and cultural production of these movements. Signs of Change offers a chance to see relatively unknown or rarely seen works, and is intended to not only provide a historical framework for contemporary activism, but also to serve as an inspiration for the present and the future.
Stop Bombing Gaza
Posted January 19, 2009 by jmacphee in Art & Politics
I have to say I'm quite impressed with the outpouring of art and design in support and defense of Gaza. It's nice to see some skills flexed to do something a little more socially-engaged then electing a president. That said, I'm wondering if we could come up with some tools to really give this art outpouring some weight, to amplify the impact. Can we make it more public? Get some better distribution? The image below is from Sam and Katah of Dragon Dance Studios in Montreal.
What to do with Billboards?
Posted January 19, 2009 by k_c_ in Inspiration
Whats more effective than adbusting?
Taking the whole damn thing down!
Found this while reading over at AnimalNY
Colectivo Cordyceps/Taring Padi in DF
Posted January 19, 2009 by jmacphee in Events
Another hot political graphics show in Mexico City, organized by our friends down their. Check it out:
Exposicion de Grafica Radical y de Protesta
Exponen:
COLECTIVO CORDYCEPS con obra grafica radical de denuncia, de Mexico DF.
TARING PADI un colectivo de grafica de protesta, desde Java Central
Indonesia.
Bandas Invitadas:
DE DON SON, grupo de Son Jarocho de Mexico DF.
Lugar:
LA CHINAMPA DE IXTACALCO,
Plaza de San Matias o Jardin Hidalgo #10
Barrio de la Asuncion, Pueblo de Iztacalco
A un costado del Kiosko.
Calzada de la Viga, esq. Avenida Hidalgo.
Peceras
Metro Xola o Metro Iztacalco.
Tel. 5633 2502
Fecha y Hora:
Viernes 23 de Enero 2009, a las 7:30pm
Para mas informacion:
chinampaixtacalco@gmail.com
cordyceps@riseup.net
shit_swimmer@riseup.net
"Izena duen guztia omen da"
http://espora.org/furia/
Radio 2050
Posted January 19, 2009 by Melanie_Cervantes in Interviews
DJ Aztec Parrot and Elida Margarita Bautista of Berkeley KPFA’s Radio 2050 invited Jesus Barraza and I (Melanie Cervantes) to do a radio interview about our political artwork. We talked about recent works such as our Oscar Grant Poster and various Palestinian solidarity pieces as well as the history of Dignidad Rebelde (www.dignidadrebelde.com)
Radio 2050 profiles both emerging and established Chican@/Latin@ artists who are living, working, or performing in the San Francisco Bay Area . In particular, those artists who are working directly with non-profit and community based organizations who work in the interest of poor people, the working class, youth, families, or equality. Radio 2050 introduces the artist to the KPFA listenership in an in-depth interview which not only profiles the artist, but introduces their artistic process and socio-political perspective.
You can hear it here:
Yo, Shepard Fairey is straight up sad!
Posted January 19, 2009 by Favianna_Rodriguez in Art & Politics
I have recently been asked about why it is that I dislike Shepard Fairey. Its actually not that I dislike Shepard as a person, its more that I have a big problem with his practices. I find them to be unethical and I believe that the political spectrum of people trying to make social change in the world will ultimately not benefit from his art. I believe that as artists and activists, we should be open about critiquing each other and open to changing how it is that we do things. That is what movements did before us .The Black Panthers consistently criticized each other in order to make assessments, and grow, as people, as an organization, and as a movement. We should never be closed to critique because in doing so we are doing ourselves a disservice. I would love to have the opportunity to talk to Shepard about my critiques, but the word on the street is that he does not like to debate about this stuff. Again, I have to say that this is not a personal attack, Shepard is actually in a book I co-edited with Josh MacPhee (also part of Just Seeds), Reproduce and Revolt, and it's not my intention to smear him nor censor him. Rather, my intention is to provide a look at his practices from the perspective a woman of color, an artist activist, and a person who thinks our capitalist system is very flawed.
Today a friend shared an article which you can read by clicking here. The title of the article is "Consumers of the World Unite," based on the phrase, "Workers of the World, Unite!" The title itself says alot of Fairey's practices, which is, that he commodifies political movements with the intention of making HUGE profits from them. Read the article and judge for yourself. It's sad to me that me that in our ultra consumer world, EVERYTHING is up for grabs when it's about profit. Very similar to how Hip Hop started in our communities, was even illegal in some forms, then repurposed, and is now sold back to us, by the very forces that also put our people in jail, deport our families, and push for bail outs in which the people ultimately pay the price. The article starts like this:
"SHOPPING, these days, is a political act. If you are brave enough to buy a $2,000 Prada handbag, you might rationalize that you are helping to stimulate the economy. Solidarity, people!"
Read more about Shepard Fairey's practices:
This article here was researched by a few of us in Just Seeds (Jesus Barraza, Josh MacPhee, and myself) as well as other notable voices in the world of political posters:
http://www.art-for-a-change.com/Obey/index.htm
This article here was written by my fellow co-editor and JustSeeder, Josh MacPhee:
http://www.justseeds.org/blog/2007/12/a_response_to_obey_plagiarist_1.html
This article was written originally for release in Mother Jones, but Mother Jones then refused to run it, and then instead ran a very pro-Fairey piece:
http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2008/06/97988
Here is an open letter to Shepard from a powerful sister who works at KPFK, Aura Bogado.
http://tothecurb.wordpress
For A Completely Different Climate
Posted January 18, 2009 by jmacphee in Events
Just got this announcement for a new show by Oliver Ressler, who consistently is making interesting work about international social movements. Unfortunately I'm not going to be in Milan by January 30th, but if you are, go see this and let us know how it was!:
FOR A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CLIMATE
An exhibition project by Oliver Ressler
Curated by Marco Scotini
Galleria Artra, Via Burlamacchi 1, 20135 Milan, Italy, artragalleria@tin.it
Till January 30, 2009, Tue to Sat, 15.00-19.00
The exhibition project “For A Completely Different Climate” deals with an emerging social movement that questions and selectively fights the response (or non-response) of states and corporations to climate change. This leftist movement has the potential to mobilize especially in Britain, where in August 2008 a Climate Camp was organized to close the Kingsnorth coal-fired power station east of London. Although the Kingsnorth station will be shut down, the energy corporation E.ON plans to build, at the same location, a new coal-fired power station that will assure profits for the next few decades. This project completely conflicts with the necessary goal of reducing CO2 emissions. Preventing a new coal-fired powerplant in Kingsnorth is of great symbolic value, since a successful resistance could mean the end of other planned projects for coal-fired powerplants elsewhere in Britain.
Some Word Pictures
Posted January 18, 2009 by k_c_ in Events
Justseeds Pals Santiago Mostyn and Bill Daniels have an opening(at this moment) at Needles & Pens Gallery in San Francisco.
Expect photographic prints, writings, video, and ephemera of contemporary Americana - Early 90's SF street grafitti, river boats (MIss Rockaway), and imagery of wandering North America on freight trains.
Needles & Pens
3253 16th Street (btwn Guerrero & Dolores)
San Francisco, CA 94103
Santiago was just mentioned at this Woostercollective link.
They mention this collaboration and Santi's recent book All Most Heaven.
Im wicked proud of him and can't wait to see this piece when I'm out in California in the near future.
Siamo tutti Palestinesi
Posted January 17, 2009 by jmacphee in Street Art & Graffiti
Our friend Marco delli Santi from Rome's House of Love and Dissent just sent over this design he created, he's planning on printing them out of mirror sticker paper and putting them up around Italy. If you're interested in doing that as well, you can download the file here.
Oakland on Fire
Posted January 17, 2009 by jmacphee in In the News
I was recently sent this article about the anarchist presence during the riots in Oakland. It's nicely written and I think articulates some clear points that are useful in talking about productive intersections of a largely white far Left and mobilized, angry, working class communities of color. The uprising in Oakland seems likely to be only the beginning of increased unrest in this country as the economy tanks and repression grows, so it's good to see people beginning to articulate arguments around issues that are bound to come up as we try to build multi-racial coalitions and organizing models around real political change. Check it out:
Oakland on Fire
Anarchists, Solidarity, and New Possibilities in the Oakland Rebellion
originally published on Counterpunch.org
http://www.counterpunch.org/kara01122009.html
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/01/12/18562228.php
By Kara N. Tina
"I'm sorry my car was burned but the issue is very upsetting."
-Ken Epstein, assistant editor of the Oakland Post, who was finishing an article about Grant's death, watched from the 12th story of his office at 14th and Franklin streets as his 2002 Honda CR-V disintegrated in a roar of flames (Oakland Tribune)
The murder of Oscar Grant by Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) police officer Johannes Mehserle early New Year's morning sent a wave of grief throughout the Bay Area and reminded all that racism and police violence continue to be endemic components of US society. During the following days, that pain transformed into overflowing anger as multiple videos of the execution recorded by witnesses emerged on the internet and in the media. One week later on January 7, over a thousand people from diverse communities across Oakland and the Bay Area gathered to show their anger and be in the presence of others feeling similar grief. This hastily planned rally shut down the Fruitvale BART station where the shooting took place as speaker after speaker addressed the crowd. Without any plan or organization, the vast majority of those who patiently listened to speakers for over two hours took the demonstration into the streets with a spirited march that made its way towards downtown as the sun set.
Gaza Vigil in Pittsburgh
Posted January 16, 2009 by mary_tremonte in Events
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March of the Dead- Gaza Vigil in Oakland
PITTSBURGH, PA: On Saturday, January 17, the newly formed Coalition for Peace & Justice in the Middle East (CPJME) will hold a rally and “March of the Dead” to symbolize the one thousand dead Palestinians in Gaza since Israel’s recent attack on the Gaza Strip.
The rally will begin at 3pm on the patio outside of the Pitt Student Union (Fifth Ave and Bigelow Blvd), and will include Muslim, Jewish, and Christian speakers, along with community and student activists from Pitt.
After the rally, activists, dressed in black, will march with white masks and carry coffins to CMU Software Engineering Institute at the corner of Fifth Ave and Craig St. The silent marchers will also carry the placards with the names of Palestinian civilians who were killed during Israel’s recent bombardment of Gaza.
Privatizing the Commons: The Commodification of New Deal Public Art
Posted January 16, 2009 by jmacphee in Posters & Prints
Lincoln Cushing has written a great article on posters produced in the 30s and 40s by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), and how they are being "borrowed" by designers and how their value has exploded in the art market. It's published on the AIGA website. The entire article can be read here, and for the lazy, here's the first couple paragraphs:
With the United States economy spiraling down the drain, there’s been a renewed interest in the New Deal projects of the 1930s and 1940s as potential models of how to once again make big government good government.
Jan 18th Events in Solidarity with Gaza-NYC
Posted January 16, 2009 by k_c_ in Events
MLK Sunday - Evening of Speeches, Music, Dance, Art, and Resistance for Gaza
Sunday, January 18th, 2009
Multi-event evening:
Hands Off Gaza
5-7pm at Alwan for the Arts
16 Beaver St, 4th Floor, NYC
$20
Subway Freedom March to Brooklyn (with music)
leaving Alwan for the Arts(to Williamsburg) at 7:30pm
"I *heart* Gaza" Benefit Hip Hop Concert, Dance, Art Show
Presented by PEP (Palestine/Israel Education Project)
9pm to 4am at
Sugarland
221 N 9th St (bt Driggs Ave & Roebling St)
Admission: $10 (Age 21+ only)
Featuring:
Sabreena Da Witch
Immortal Technique
G.O.D
M1 of Dead Prez
A-Alikes
Rebel Diaz
Remi Kanazi
Tahani Salah
Queen Godis
Khalil al Mustafa
DJs: Johnny Juice (Public Enemy), DJ Oja, K-Salaam
Texas Oil: Landscape of an Industry
Posted January 16, 2009 by jmacphee in Events
The Center for Land Use Interpretation (CLUI) has a new exhibition opening up at the Blaffer Gallery in the Art Museum of the University of Texas. Texas Oil: Landscape of an Industry promises to reveal how oil has been instrumental to the development of the Gulf Coast region, and seems like it could be an extremely useful visual introduction to the development and maintenance of the oil industry in the U.S. The show opens on January 16th, and runs through March 29, 2009.
Milwaukee Art Shows
Posted January 16, 2009 by colin_matthes in Events
Greetings from frigid, frigid, Milwaukee. If you are also enjoying the lets call it brisk, -6 degrees F (-27 with wind chill) temperature in Milwaukee, why not plan to come check out a few art shows this weekend.
Opening Friday (January 16, 5-10pm) at the Armory Gallery is “Western States.” As part of this exhibition I made a new installation titled, “Everything is Fine.” While making it I did some wall drawing, climbed on a fire escape, and repeatedly hit a ceiling fan with a hammer. The show will also feature the work of Aili Schmeltz (Los Angeles), William Hundley (Austin), Colleen Sanders (San Francisco), Gavin Bunner (Los Angeles), and Adrianne Watson (San Francisco).
Armoury Gallery is at 1718 N First St 3N3, Milwaukee, WI, 53212
Last Chance! This weekend is also the last chance to see “War Fair: Occupation Games for Citizens and Non-Combatants,” one of my most ambitious installations to date. The show closes along with the rest of the Nohl Fellowship work on January 18, 09. The Nohl Fellows are Gary John Gresl, Mark Klassen and Dan Ollman (Established Artists), Annie Killelea, Faythe Levine, Colin Matthes and Kevin J. Miyazaki (Emerging Artists). You can also see images from the “War Fair” exhibition online.
Inova/Kenilworth, 2155 N. Prospect Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53202 Gallery hours are Wednesday & Friday-Sunday, noon to 5 pm and Thursday, noon-8 pm.
Also, If you will be in Texas, stop by the University of Texas-Pan American (Edinburg,TX) to view my solo exhibit “Credit Is Alright” Opening February 5th, 6-9pm.
Justice for Palestine
Posted January 15, 2009 by jmacphee in In the News
Jared Davidson from the Garage Collective in New Zealand has created a poster for a local protest in Christchurch, NZ. He's also been blogging about the NZ response to Gaza on Garage Collections.
If we were in their position, how would we react?
Posted January 15, 2009 by k_c_ in In the News
By Jenka Soderberg
Co-Editor-International Middle East Media Center
US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, in introducing a bill
supporting the Israeli attack on Gaza, that passed unanimously by voice
vote in the US Senate Thursday, "I ask any of my colleagues to imagine
that happening here in the United States. Rockets and mortars coming
from Toronto in Canada, into Buffalo New York. How would we as a
country react?"
Illicit Exhibition: Chris Stain
Posted January 15, 2009 by jmacphee in Interviews
The Illicit Exhibitions blog has just posted an interview with our very own Chris Stain. You can check it out here.
Delineations Art Opening at Ad-Hoc
Posted January 15, 2009 by k_c_ in Events
Also opening at Ad Hoc on Friday January 16th is a drawing show called Delineations, "a collection of drawings and illustrations from a diverse group of international artists." In which I will have a piece hanging!
January 16th-February 15th 2009
Opening Reception: Friday, January 16th, 7-10pm
Ad-Hoc Art
49 Bogart Street
Brooklyn, NY 11206
Participating artists include: Alley Cat, John Breiner, Adam William Carnes, Gigi Chen, Fernanda Cohen, Molly Crabapple, Adam Collison, Cycle, Deseo, Bonnie Durham, Ezra Li Eismont, Ewelina Ferruso, EZO, Nate Frizzel, Yoko Furuso, Bob Gibson (TLP), Mark Gibson, GROW, Joshua Hagler, Fred Harper, Peter Herpich, Thomas Herpich, Nevada Hill, Phil Hollenbeck, Mike Houston (Cannonball Press), isuel isuel, Kyung Jeon, Jeremyville, Katie Kaplan, Jane Kim, Hiro Kurata, Rafael Ladesma III, Laura Lee, Tim Hon Hung Lee, Tae Lee, Brian Life, Tommii Lim, Daniel Hyun Lim (Fawn Fruits), David MacDowell, Drew Maillard, Sara Antoinette Martin, Martin Mazorra (Cannonball Pres), MIHA, Melissa Murray, Gilbert Oh, Logik One, Pagan, Nathan Lee Pickett, Lady Pink, Lilly Piri, Anthony Pontius, Devin Powers, Carlos (MARE139) Rodriguez, Dorthy Royle, Martina Secondo Russo, Frank Russo, Allison Sommers, Robert Steel, Kevin Earl Taylor, TheDirtyFabulous, Elisabeth Timpone, TOOFLY, James Turek, Connie Wang, Jaeran Won, Pippi Zornoza plus Mikey & Doyle of the Black Label Bike Club
Naomi Klein: Israel-Boycott, Divest, Sanction
Posted January 14, 2009 by jmacphee in In the News
Israel: Boycott, Divest, Sanction
By Naomi Klein
This article is scheduled to appear in the January 26, 2009 edition of The Nation.
It's time. Long past time. The best strategy to end the increasingly bloody occupation is for Israel to become the target of the kind of global movement that put an end to apartheid in South Africa.
In July 2005 a huge coalition of Palestinian groups laid out plans to do just that. They called on "people of conscience all over the world to impose broad boycotts and implement divestment initiatives against Israel similar to those applied to South Africa in the apartheid era." The campaign Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions--BDS for short--was born.
Every day that Israel pounds Gaza brings more converts to the BDS cause, and talk of cease-fires is doing little to slow the momentum. Support is even emerging among Israeli Jews. In the midst of the assault roughly 500 Israelis, dozens of them well-known artists and scholars, sent a letter to foreign ambassadors stationed in Israel. It calls for "the adoption of immediate restrictive measures and sanctions" and draws a clear parallel with the antiapartheid struggle. "The boycott on South Africa was effective, but Israel is handled with kid gloves.... This international backing must stop."
Yet many still can't go there. The reasons are complex, emotional and understandable. And they simply aren't good enough. Economic sanctions are the most effective tools in the nonviolent arsenal. Surrendering them verges on active complicity. Here are the top four objections to the BDS strategy, followed by counterarguments.
Zapatista Supporters March In Solidarity With People of Gaza
Posted January 14, 2009 by k_c_ in In the News
Grafiteros spraypaint the municipal building, during the rally, with messages of solidarity for folks in Gaza, and Oaxaca's APPO.
There's a bit more background on recent events over on ZapaGringo.
We are fucked.
Posted January 14, 2009 by roger_peet
Ladies and Gentlemen, the jury has returned from their deliberations and they have delivered the following verdict: we are fucked. Yes, fucked. The Earth is strapped down to a filthy bed in a back alley of some benighted slum and is having the guts ripped out of it by the forsaken human race. Let's examine a brief digest of current news that illustrates this problem, namely the problem of OUR BEING FUCKED. 
It was recently the 20th anniversary of the death of Chico Mendes, the Brazilian rubbertapper who was murdered by a cattle rancher and his son for the crime of opposing rainforest clearance in Brazil's Acre region. Mendes' legacy is a network of what are known as "extractive reserves", where people can make a living from the rainforest without chopping it down. That living takes the form of tapping trees for rubber, collecting medicinal plants, and the like. Unfortunately, since the world rubber price has crashed, the tenants of the extractive reserves are now chopping down the forest to grow corn and soybeans and FUCKING SUGARCANE FOR YOUR GODDAMN BIOFUEL CARS. Economics trumps principles, as per usual. Of course it does. If you've got starving children to feed and there's a pristine rainforest right outside your backdoor, guess who loses?
Evo Morales, much vaunted defender of indigenous rights and Bolivian energy independence, opponent of neoliberal development schemes and water privatization, has agreed to permit oil exploration in 400,000 hectares of pristine rainforest in Bolivia's northeast. That oil is going to be used to earn hard currency to raise the standard of living for the vast number of impoverished Bolivians, the majority of whom are indigenous. If you've got starving citizens and a pristine rainforest in your northeast, guess who loses?
The Insecurities of Time
Posted January 14, 2009 by jmacphee in Events
This just in:
The Insecurities of Time
Know Hope
solo exhibition
January 16th through February 15th 2009
Opening Reception: Friday, January 16th 7pm-10pm
Ad Hoc Art
49 Bogart Street
Brooklyn, NY 11206
For the past 4 years, Know Hope has been showing his work in galleries and exhibitions worldwide, but most of his work has been on the streets, in their natural urban settings. Know Hope deals with the ephemeral aspect of street art not only as a genre in itself, but also as a subject, exploring the need of momentary connections in everyday reality, and the common denominator that is the human struggle.
Know Hope’s recent work has been revolving around the story of an unnamed figure, following it and creating some sort of lifeline through its observations, mishaps and eventually its commentary. The figure is the visual manifestation of the human vulnerability addressed in all the pieces. The use of cardboard makes the content of the pieces physical, underlining the urgency of creating temporary art for the street, and the liability and rough fragility of the struggle.
From the Streets of Brooklyn
Posted January 13, 2009 by jmacphee in Events
Chris Stain, Swoon and I have work in a show that just opened in LA at the Thinkspace. The show is called From the Streets of Brooklyn and is chock full of New York street art types, including friends Imminent Disaster, Gaia, Peripheral Media Projects, Skewville, Abe Lincoln Jr., GRL, Michael De Feo and Dennis McNett.
on view Jan. 9th – Feb. 6th, 2009
thinkspace
4210 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90029
End the killing of children in Gaza!
Posted January 13, 2009 by Jesus_Barraza in In the News
It's been 18 days since the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip began, since that time there have been 883 deaths and sadly more than a third have been women and children (85 women and 284 children). It seems that the Israeli attacks on the Gaza population have been indiscriminate, missiles have fallen on homes and schools where many civilians have been pummeled. The world is witness to the countless atrocities that are happening, there have been protests all over the world, people expressing their outrage over the war crimes that are occurring. It is even more difficult to think that it is very well possible that Israel will face no consequences and all the countries crimes will go unpunished.
Yesterday the U.N. Human Rights Council issued a statement about the situation in Gaza, condemning Israel for "grave violations" of human rights. The statement said that the council "strongly condemns the ongoing Israeli military operations... which have resulted in massive violations of human rights of the Palestinian people and systematic destruction of the Palestinian infrastructure." Another outcome was that Secretary General is going to Gaza to investigate the targeting of UN facilities and schools this Wednesday.
New Poster: Boycott the Bloodshed!
Posted January 11, 2009 by Favianna_Rodriguez in Art & Politics
I am working on a poster about Divestment in Israel as well as informing consumers what they can do to pressure Israel to change its policies. The poster is a collaboration with the group, INCITE, Women of Color Against Violence.
This poster will soon be printed and made available by February 1st. Israel has been the largest annual recipient of direct U.S. economic and military assistance since 1976 and the largest total recipient since World War ll. Israel receives about $3 billion in direct foreign assistance each year, which is roughly one-fifth of America's entire foreign aid budget.
Corporations also support Israel. BOYCOTT: MOTOROLA, VICTORIA'S SECRET, STARBUCKS, MCDONALD'S, Ben N Jerry's, Blockbuster Video, Burger King, Coca Cola, Domino's Pizza, Haagen Dazs, Heinz, Hertz, Holiday Inn, Hyatt, Marriott, Raddison, KFC, L'oreal, Donna Karan, Johnson & Johnson, MCI, Monster Cable Products, Planet Hollywood, Pizza Hut, Pepsi, Sara Lee, Taco Bell, Sportmart, Subway, Toys R Us, Tower Records, UPS, Vanity Fair
More info here
ACLU Poster Contest
Posted January 11, 2009 by Favianna_Rodriguez in Posters & Prints
There is a poster contest by ACLU, deadline on January 18th. The theme is RESTORE AMERICA. Their website reads: "Join the socially conscious design community in creating a poster that depicts the transformation of America into a country that holds its leaders accountable; that strives to restore eroded civil liberties; that works to change policies that are unconstitutional." Visit the ACLU website for more information.
Onus of the Individual
Posted January 9, 2009 by k_c_ in In the News
I came across this on the Adbusters blog.
Im always apalled by how brainwashed we are from corporate campaigns which suggest "we" conserve (read Gone Tomorrow by Heather Rogers). That "we" is usually the individual, and in reality so many we's could conserve all "we" want and make such a little difference, its industry and government that consume insane amounts of resources. The onus is not on the individual, unless you are doing something like this, from The Guardian:
The £12m defences of the most heavily guarded power station in Britain have been breached by a single person who, under the eyes of CCTV cameras, climbed two three-metre (10ft) razor-wired, electrified security fences, walked into the station and crashed a giant 500MW turbine before leaving a calling card reading "no new coal". He walked out the same way and hopped back over the fence.All power from the coal and oil-powered Kingsnorth station in Kent was halted for four hours, in which time it is thought the mystery saboteur's actions reduced UK climate change emissions by 2%. Enough electricity to power a city the size of Bristol was lost.
The "saboteur" also left a banner saying "No New Coal".
Hoy Comienza Planeta Rock-Santiago, Chile
Posted January 8, 2009 by k_c_ in Events
Hoy Jueves 8 de Enero Comienza Planeta Rock este Festival de HipHop que Celebra los 25 años de Nuestro Movimento
Cuatro dias de un Festival en Santiago, Chile
Mira la programa en Planeta Rock
Latin American Festival of Activist Hip Hop: 25 years of Hip Hop in Chile
Some firends in Chile will be streaming audio from the Hip-Hop festival on Saturday, Jan 10th. It will include music, workshops, and other presentations. You can hear it through the links below if you are curious. Its a good way to hear culture being produced well beyond the "borders" of the community that usually reads this blog. (I am making many presumptions and I do look at the the analytics of this site, we get one hit from Chile)
Si estaras fuera de Santiago o te encuentras en otro pais el Sabado 10 de Enero, dia en que se desarrollara la escuela talleres, no te preocupes, porque durante el dia transmitiremos via on-line lo que estara sucediendo, noticias, entrevistas, talleres, musica, conversacion y mucha mas en radio planeta rock.
*Saturday, January 10 of 2009*
Streaming Radio from Santiago of Chile (in spanish)
www.planetarock.cl.tc/
www.radioplanetarock.tk
Know Your Enemy?
Posted January 8, 2009 by k_c_ in In the News
Activist Unmasks Himself as Federal Informant in G.O.P. Convention Case
By COLIN MOYNIHAN
New York Times
January 5, 2009
When the scheduled federal trial begins this month for two Texas men who
were arrested during the Republican National Convention on charges of making
and possessing Molotov cocktails, one of the major witnesses against them
will be a community activist who acted as a government informant.
Brandon Darby, an organizer from Austin, Tex., made the news public himself,
announcing in an open letter posted on Dec. 30 on Indymedia.org that he had
worked as an informant, most recently at last year's Republican convention
in St. Paul.
Queer Rally in Pittsburgh 1/10
Posted January 8, 2009 by mary_tremonte in Events
photo by heather mull from rally in response to prop 8 on november 15, 2008
When: Saturday, January 10, 2009
Time: 2 PM – 4 PM
Where: Schenley Quad, Oakland (near the libraries – same place as last time)
What: This is a rally, not a march.
Who: Bring your friends, family, kids, grandmas, neighbors, queer and straight alike. Bring your banners and your signs.
Who is Speaking: Emcee Gab Bonesso, Reverend Janet Edwards, Sandra Telep from Pride at Work, LGBTQ ally John McIntire and more. We are looking for speakers who may want to talk about their experiences of discrimination in these areas. Email lance historycat101(at)aol.com if you would like to speak.
Why: Because there are several upcoming moments to get LGBTQ-positive legislation passed on both the County and State levels. This time, we aren't just protesting a negative situation – we are mobilizing to get a positive outcome for everyone.
This is the follow up event to the very successful November "Anti-Prop 8" rally organized in a complete grassroots way, this rally focuses on the national DOMA law which President-Elect Obama promised to repeat AND the upcoming vote by Allegheny County Council to expand civil rights protections in employment, housing, and public accommodations to residents of Allegheny County who are part of the LGBTQ community (sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression). This rally is really for the whole community – from marriage advocates to working class queers who worry about job security and being able to find a decent place to live without being harassed. This is about L-G-B-T and Q. And the entire heterosexual community who benefit from a more just and fair community.
“break (vitalogy)” by Suheir Hammad
Posted January 8, 2009 by k_c_ in Inspiration
“break (vitalogy)”all matter related
we connectedana on corners
holy grams
ana incarcerated lightgaze me
ana gaza
you can’t see meana blood wa memory
it was all a dream
lion kissing meana harb
heart
ana harana wa ana
we related
woven
ultimate design
physical dreamplease excuse my state of disappearance
been renovating structure
innovating space
hype earrings onSuheir Hammad
From her bookBreaking Poems.
...here the poet figures herself as gaza. and as gaza she disappears...Taken from the blog Body on the Line
From Athens to Oakland, we will fight Police Terror!
Posted January 8, 2009 by Favianna_Rodriguez in In the News
Today many of us in the Bay Area attended a protest to demand justice for Oscar Grant, the unarmed young man killed by BART police a few days ago. I followed the protest as it went into Downtown Oakland, growing into a critical mass. The police fired gas and rubber bullets into the crowd, and repeated their ruthless campaign of aggression.
My friend and fellow activist, Adrienne Marie Brown of the Ruckus Society, posted a great story on what we can do to demand police accountability and seize the time to make our voices heard.
She writes: "As I write this there are no less than 6 helicopters circling overhead in downtown Oakland. On the first day of the 10th year since Amadou Diallo was brutally gunned down by police in New York City, Oscar Grant was fatally shot in the back by a BART police officer, and the event was caught on video. As I write this, rumors are flying and media is fanning the riot flames - car and trash fires, police in riot gear and tanks, restaurant windows being smashed, tear gas and rubber bullets being used. We won’t know the full picture till the night is over and the smoke clears, but the story of the successful nonviolent protest earlier this evening has been overshadowed by this angry chaos." click here to read more
Melanie Cervantes and Jesus Barraza designed a poster about this incident.
Machine-Animal Destructo-Mat
Posted January 8, 2009 by roger_peet in Environment
The amount of time and energy put into the development of new methods of destroying all life never fails to impress. The contemporary trend of biomimicry in industrial design produces a lot of unintentionally hilarious/nauseating machines that emulate the structures and methods found in the natural world, while at the same time having only one function, namely the annihilation of the aforementioned world. Check this shit out: the TIMBERJACK!
There's a certain insight available into the tangled economic logic underpinning industrial world-destruction available through images and video of these machines. Notice that the precision of the Timberjack's stepping mechanism is so lovingly described...if it were to sense a rare orchid below its ten-ton tread, lo! It would pull the offending limb away and whisper a prayer of thanks to Gaia for her wisdom. And then the process of ripping the forest down and shredding it would continue. I imagine a little cartoon bluebird perched on the Timberjack, trilling a happy song!
Thousands of Israelis protest against the war in Gaza
Posted January 7, 2009 by molly_fair in In the News
The world and Israeli media have been ignoring the Israeli protests against the war in Gaza. This is a short report by SocialTV, an independent news source in Israel, documenting over 10,000 Israelis in Tel-Aviv protesting against the war in Gaza on Jan 3rd, 2009.
Pittsburgh Graffiti Woes
Posted January 7, 2009 by mary_tremonte in In the News
Two of my favorites: the Carrie Furnace & Southside railroad tunnel
Ah, an auspicious beginning to 2009: more brutal crackdowns on graffiti in Pittsburgh. Two young men, both students at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, were arrested this weekend, and face felony charges. You can read more here . The biggest graffiti local news story of 2008 was the arrest and sentencing of Danny Montano, who tags MFONE. This was his third arrest, and many wanted to make an example of him. Interestingly enough, the 22 year-old art student was arrested at the Mattress Factory, a world-renowned contemporary art museum in Pittsburgh, as he was installing his piece for an exhibition. Montano faced a maximum possible sentence of $300,000 in fines and 130 years in prison. In the end, the judge sentenced him to 2.5 - 5 years in prison and over 200,000 in restitution, in what may be one of the harshest sentences for graffiti in the United States.
This is interesting to me, because as a city with an ever-declining population and tax base, Pittsburgh Police's graffiti task force has not been able to keep up with graffiti and street art. That and the plethora of empty buildings, closed down mills and factories, and wonderful nooks and crannies like railroad bridges, stairways, alleys, train tunnels, and hollows, have allowed for street art to flourish here.
The Street Changes Forever Everywhere, Summer 2004
While the Pittsburgh graffiti task force has pushed for ever harsher penalties for "illegal" graffiti, There have been several graffiti/street art gallery and public art shows over the past few years, including The Street Changes Forever Everywhere (above) and Static Free.
I have organized and taught many high school workshops about street art; many of the students I have worked with are already cutting stencils, silkscreening stickers, and wheatpasting on their own time. This draconian punishment is troubling to me in my own practice of empowering young people, and of course like a mama bird I worry about them. I also wonder about the future possibility to teach and discuss these forms, even through the relatively uncensored lens of an art museum's education department. How will the tension between 'legit' street art in museums and galleries, use of public and private space, and property damage play out in Pittsburgh?
I'll leave you with this quote from a recent Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article. Setting a tone of fear for putting things up on the street, or even being out at night:
Detective Rende said task force members had hoped the Montano case would scare off future graffiti squads. Yesterday he pleaded for the public to keep an eye out for graffiti vandals and to notify police.
"If you see a kid out there with a backpack at 11 o'clock at night and a tossel cap and a hooded sweatshirt, he's not going to study with his friends," he said. "There's a good chance he has paint cans in that bag."
Lot behind Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Gold Way. A favorite special spot. Art by former student
2009 Create Change Public Artist Residency Program
Posted January 7, 2009 by meredith_stern in Calls for Art
The Laundromat Project is a community based arts organization committed to the well-being of communities of color living on low incomes. We understand that creativity is a central component of healthy human beings, vibrant neighborhoods and thriving economies.
Applications are due by February 20, 2009
khaled abou-khamis
Posted January 7, 2009 by k_c_ in Art & Politics
From Boba Singh's flickr stream, an artist in Berlin. Here is their website: vizifada.de
Justice for Oscar Grant! Justice for Gaza!
Posted January 7, 2009 by Melanie_Cervantes in In the News
Early New Year's Day in the Fruitvale District of Oakland, BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) police murdered unarmed, 22 -year old, Oscar Grant III by pushing him face down to the ground and shooting him in the back. After he was shot he was handcuffed. The shooting was fatal.
Having come of age in Los Angeles during the uprisings that followed the Rodney King verdict- this incidence violence enacted by the State rings eerily familiar.
For me this is a crystal clear example of how racism is alive and well in the United States. People would like to think that because Barack Obama has been elected president that some how we, as a nation, are "post-race". What really irritates me about this line of thinking it the conflation of race and racism. One is a category another is an active force that impacts real people's lives.
The fact that racism probably had a huge role in Oscar Grant's death chills my bones.
The practices of the police continue to demonstrate this: the way they are trained, the way stereotypes and profiling are reinforced institutionally and how little-to-no accountability the police have with communities of color. These communities are instead terrorized by the police.
Jesus Barraza and I (Melanie Cervantes) collaboratively developed this poster and drew a connection between the violence enacted by domestically by transit police in Oakland and Israeli occupying forces and their attacks which have kiiled hundreds of Gazans including many women and children.
JUSTICE FOR OSCAR GRANT!
JUSTICE FOR GAZA!
Chicago Anarchist Film Festival
Posted January 6, 2009 by meredith_stern in Calls for Art
For the 9th year the Chicago Anarchist Film Festival will present a sample
of films from mainstream sources, rediscovered classics and the works of
filmmakers engaged in social change with an anarchist vision. Most media
of all types launch attacks that distort, discredit and deny anarchists
entirely. Anarchists and their allies respond with a relentless volley of
images and stories that reveal, revive and invigorate a rich anarchist
presence in society.
Chicago Anarchist Film Festival organizers seek un- and under-distributed
films and videos to include in the 2009 Chicago Anarchist Film Festival.
We also welcome suggestions for titles that may inadvertently allow
anarchy to seep through the cracks of the status quo. Movie collage, music
videos and trailers for works-in-progress will also be considered.
Deadline- April 1, 2009
If You're Looking for More News on Gaza
Posted January 6, 2009 by k_c_ in In the News
I am discovering more online sources for news and opinion about the ongoing aggression against the people of Gaza by the Israeli government.
Tales to Tell-From Gaza is a blog updated by a volunteer with the ISM Gaza group that is documenting the Israeli attacks on Palestinians. This involves visiting hospital patients, bereaved families, and sites of attacks, and making reports on these for the ISM website among others.
I just received an email today from a Palestinian-American poet, via a friend, in it were many links to articles, including:
Guernica In Gaza tells the story of how the writer, Vittorio Arrigoni, arrived in Gaza. Originally published in Italian at Il Manifesto.Ilan Pappe, Israeli scholar, now head of the History Dept at
Exeter, published Israel's righteous fury and its victims in Gaza on Electronic Intifada. it offers a sense of how Zionism, the ideology and the facts on the ground of it, is at the heart of all political and military action taken by the state of
Israel.Marcy Newman is an educator, scholar, an activist and a witness. Her blog Body on the Line is an incredible warehouse of information with an insane number of links to other locations.
Naji Ali's weekly podcast, Crossing the Line:Life in Occupied Palestine, introduced by Mumia Abu Jamal, invites different people to talk about all things related to Palestine.
Jennifer Loewenstein's article Israel's Attempted Endgame in Gaza on CounterPunch an analysis of the latest incursion, within a framework of what life is like for the people in Gaza.
Sarah Roy's piece If Gaza falls . . . in the London Review of Books was written before
these attacks even began. A commendable job of explaining the state of
emergency Gaza has been under, since the siege on it's ports and
freedom of movement. Most of the people have been hungry, sick,
without water or electricity for months, for years. She also has an article, Israel's 'victories' in Gaza come at a steep price
in the Christian Science Monitor.
Giving to the Poor?
Posted January 6, 2009 by jmacphee in Street Art & Graffiti
I've been a fan from afar of Above for awhile now. I liked the arrows hanging from power lines, loved the aesthetic of the arrow covered roll-downs and trucks, but have to admit I wanted to see a little more diversity in visual language. Seems like Above has really started to branch out, doing a lot of stenciled scenes of life-sized people (a la Banksy -- I hate to have to compare, but it seems pretty hard to step out of that guys shadow these days). One of Above's recent pieces is a stenciled stage set, where an unwitting ATM goer steps in front of a stencil of a masked mugger, who appears to be stealing the cash and handing it to a homeless woman. The piece is interesting because it needs an audience to complete it, something so amazingly rare in street art these days. In addition, Above has made an edition of digital prints of a photo of the piece which he is selling and donating 100% of the profits to homeless advocacy organizations.
I wanted to post this here because I think it is interesting, and I'm wondering what people think. When clearly the dominant wave of street art activism seems to be making posters for presidential candidates, Above has taken a different path, and seems to have tried to create a coherent and intelligent piece that operates on multiple levels: as a piece of street art which acknowledges and invites participation from an audience, as a piece of political art making commentary of massive inequality in our society, and as a self-conscious commodity that tries to use the money it generates to address said inequality.
Street Art In Buffalo
Posted January 6, 2009 by icky in Street Art & Graffiti
Attached are some pics a friend sent me, taken at the former site of Martin Sostre's radical "Afro-Asian" bookstore in the heart of Buffalo.
Solidarity with Bolivia
Posted January 5, 2009 by jmacphee in Posters & Prints
I designed this poster as the centerfold of the new Northeastern Anarchist magazine, which should be out in the next couple weeks. Figured I'd give everyone here a sneak peek:
Celebrating 15 years of Zapatista Struggle
Posted January 5, 2009 by Jesus_Barraza in In the News
15 years ago, on new years day the EZLN declared war on the Mexico, taking over the town of San Cristobal de las Casa in Chiapas in an attempt to start a revolution in Mexico. In the face of the North American Free Trade Agreement the Zapatistas took up arms against the Mexican government with the aim of taking President Carlos Salinas de Gortari and the PRI out of power to restore legitimacy and stability to Mexico. The Zapatista offensive lasted 13 days, after which the EZLN agreed to begins negotiations with the Mexican government. The negotiations eventually fell apart when it became apparent that the government had no intent for real change. In January of 2006 the EZLN began La Otra Campana, a campaign to form a united opposition to neoliberal capitalism which plagues Mexico as well as the rest of the world.
Click through to read the EZLN's declaration of war from 1994.
Invasion 68 Prague
Posted January 4, 2009 by jmacphee in Events
Reposted from Brushfire blog:
Invasion 68 Prague, an exhibition of work by photographer Josef Koudelka, opened yesterday at the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center. The exhibition will run until December 28, 2008.
The exhibition features Koudelka’s singular photographic account of the week after August 21, 1968, when Warsaw Pact tanks led by Alexander Dubcek invaded communist Prague. Both moving and formally compelling, Koudelka’s photographs provide an unparalleled representation of the life and death of that week. New York Times art critic, Roberta Smith writes:
“None of these photographs are less than beautiful; some combination of emotional urgency and Mr. Koudelka’s instinctive artistry makes them so. His restless vigilance created a historic and historical document that is less a series of photographs than a slow-moving film that we absorb one still at a time. He was there, and to an extraordinary and anguishing degree, so are we.” (Full article)
Koudelka’s photographs that week represented a turning point in his life. After their anonymous publication in Western newspapers, Koudelka sought asylum, and eventually emigrated from Prague in 1970. He has worked since then in Western Europe as a highly regarded documentary and landscape photographer. His books include: Gypsies (1975), Exiles (1984), and Chaos (1999). A recent retrospective of his work, Koudelka, was published in 2006.
The exhibition at the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center has been co-produced by Magnum Photos, and coincides with a book by the same title published by Aperture. A “Meet The Artist” reception will be held on Tuesday, November, 18 from 6-8PM; Czech Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra and Ambassador of the Czech Republic Petr Kolár will also be present.
The gallery is open from 11-4PM, Tuesday through Sunday.
News about a little strip of land
Posted January 4, 2009 by k_c_ in In the News
In light of the current events in Israel/Palestine, a friend of mine asked me where I look for news about the agressions. I told him I usually check in with folks I'm familiar with that follow events there more closely than I do.
Anomalous on flickr is a spot I'll stop by to see what news articles, essays, and statements he's found, and sometimes just ask him his opinion. His flog is a good spot to begin with finding sources to dig into.
Haaretz.com an Israeli newspaper is another spot where I find really good coverage of current events of the region.
Al Jazeera.net is a place to find superficial BBC-like accounts that can be helpful.
It is hard to interpret what the reasons for this aggression are and what the outcomes will be. Its troubling everyway I approach it. Having just seen Waltz with Bashir an animated Israeli documentary about a massacre in the 80's during the Lebanese War, I can only imagine future accounts of the current actions. The film explores the soldiers attempts to recreate these events and his memory. It approaches the violence of war in an objective manner. I found its conclusion to be anti-violence after illustrating many of the conditions, social and political, that led to the Sabra and Shatila massacre. You should definitely see it if you have the opportunity.
My question to others is "where do you find your information about resistance and protest to these aggressions?" In Israel, Palestine, and globally. I have found myself disconnected to communities that are organizing demonstrations and opposition to these aggressions, and want to know more about what is happening in response. (Please don't tell me to join Facebook, the "main" source I've heard of protest outreach here in NYC)
Incite! Journal online
Posted January 4, 2009 by jmacphee in Film & Video
My friend Brett Kashmere has recently released the first online issue of Incite! journal of experimental media & radical aesthetics. The theme of the first issue is "Manifest," and there's a ton of material in the first issue online, and they are hoping to release a print edition. There something in here for lots of different interests but it is heavily bent towards experimental film and video. Here's how Brett describes the contents:
In this issue:
* Legendary collage filmmaker and programmer Craig Baldwin talks with Steve Polta about the 70s avant-garde, Baldwin's college years, political activism, and midnight screenings: all of which lead him to filmmaking and to his unique curatorial aesthetic.* In a strong diatribe against capital-driven mainstream cinema, the famed American independent film impresario Jonas Mekas celebrates the pioneering avant-garde and its connections to the heavenly.
A Call for Anarchist Art
Posted January 3, 2009 by jmacphee in Calls for Art
I've been in touch with the UK Anarchist Federation, and they are putting together a publication about the intersections of art and anarchism. They are looking for art and artists. Here's what they are up to and what they are looking for:
The UK Anarchist Federation is in the process of putting together a publication that explores the relationship between anarchism and various art forms. We are currently looking for submissions from artists who are interested in this area. Contributions could range from visual artwork, cartoons and graphic art, poetry, short literary works, architectural studies or critical pieces on theory or the history of anarchism and art.
We would very much like to get a diversity of material and are hoping to tour the project around radical and free spaces across the UK when the project is finished. All funds raised would be put towards developing anarchist projects across the UK and our international solidarity fund. We would very much like YOU to contribute to this project.
* All submissions need to be in to us by the end of February. The publication will then go into production shortly after. The publication will be "launched" so-to-speak and exhibited at our Anarchism 2009 event which will be happening mid-June in Manchester and a tour shall be arranged over the summer.Send all submissions to: natsec@afed.org.uk* Some of the themes we would like to see artists develop: labour struggles, the history of anarchist-communism (key thinkers, events etc.), anti-fascism, anonymity/state surveillance, immigration and the struggle against borders and direct action/black block. We are really keen on artists exploring their vision of what a post-revolutionary society would look like.
* Again, contributions can range in their form but a short abstract explaining the motivations behind the piece would be great. We would also be very keen for each artist to outline their attraction to art as a medium to communicate anarchist ideas. Initially we would only need digital copies of the work, but the actual works would be good to exhibit at the Anarchism 2009 event (this is something we will address nearer the time).
* Images need to be 300dpi and around A4 size just in case the book ends up being that big. They should be sent as .eps, .tif or .jpg files. The images you supply need to be the best quality, we can't do anything with tiny pixelated images.
NYC 4th Annual Memorial Ride and Walk
Posted January 2, 2009 by molly_fair in Events
Sunday Jan 4, 2009
Memorial Rides:
Bronx - 10:45am
Queens - 12:00pm
Brooklyn - 12:45pm
Memorial Walk:
Manhattan - 2:30pm
Convergence:
4pm- Manhattan, Delancey at Allen Street
Gathering of cyclists, pedestrians, families and friends:
5-7pm
St. Marks Church
131 East 10th Street at 2nd Ave.
read on for detailed ride/walk schedule and check ghostbikes.org for updates
Official Statement from the United Nations Human Rights Council
Posted January 2, 2009 by k_c_ in In the News
by Prof. Richard Falk, United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories
December 31, 2008
The Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip represent severe and massive violations of international humanitarian law as defined in the Geneva Conventions, both in regard to the obligations of an Occupying Power and in the requirements of the laws of war.
Those violations include:
Collective punishment - the entire 1.5 million people who live in the crowded Gaza Strip are being punished for the actions of a few militants.Targeting civilians - the airstrikes were aimed at civilian areas in one of the most crowded stretches of land in the world, certainly the most densely populated area of the Middle East.
Disproportionate military response - the airstrikes have not only destroyed every police and security office of Gaza's elected government, but have killed and injured hundreds of civilians; at least one strike reportedly hit groups of students attempting to find transportation home from the university.
Earlier Israeli actions, specifically the complete sealing off of entry and exit to and from the Gaza Strip, have led to severe shortages of medicine and fuel (as well as food), resulting in the inability of ambulances to respond to the injured, the inability of hospitals to adequately provide medicine or necessary equipment for the injured, and the inability of Gaza's besieged doctors and other medical workers to sufficiently treat the victims.
Certainly the rocket attacks against civilian targets in Israel are unlawful. But that illegality does not give rise to any Israeli right, neither as the Occupying Power nor as a sovereign state, to violate international humanitarian law and commit war crimes or crimes against humanity in its response. I note that Israel's escalating military assaults have not made Israeli civilians safer; to the contrary, the one Israeli killed today after the upsurge of Israeli violence is the first in over a year.
Israel has also ignored recent Hamas' diplomatic initiatives to reestablish the truce or ceasefire since its expiration on 26 December.
The Israeli airstrikes today, and the catastrophic human toll that they caused, challenge those countries that have been and remain complicit, either directly or indirectly, in Israel's violations of international law. That complicity includes those countries knowingly providing the military equipment including warplanes and missiles used in these illegal attacks, as well as those countries who have supported and participated in the siege of Gaza that itself has caused a humanitarian catastrophe.
I remind all member states of the United Nations that the UN continues to be bound to an independent obligation to protect any civilian population facing massive violations of international humanitarian law - regardless of what country may be responsible for those violations. I call on all Member States, as well as officials and every relevant organ of the United Nations system, to move on an emergency basis not only to condemn Israel's serious violations, but to develop new approaches to providing real protection for the Palestinian people.
Stealing Gaza: An Experiment in Provocation
Posted January 2, 2009 by k_c_ in In the News
By BRIAN ENO
January 2, 2009
It's a tragedy that the Israelis - a people who must understand better than almost anybody the horrors of oppression - are now acting as oppressors. As the great Jewish writer Primo Levi once remarked "Everybody has their Jews, and for the Israelis it's the Palestinians". By creating a middle Eastern version of the Warsaw ghetto they are recapitulating their own history as though they've forgotten it.And by trying to paint an equivalence between the Palestinians - with their homemade rockets and stone-throwing teenagers - and themselves - with one of the most sophisticated military machines in the world - they sacrifice all credibility.
The Israelis are a gifted and resourceful people who fully deserve the right to live in peace, but who seem intent on squandering every chance to allow that to happen. It's difficult to avoid the conclusion that this conflict serves the political and economic purposes of Israel so well that they have every interest in maintaining it. While there is fighting they can continue to build illegal settlements. While there is fighting they continue to receive huge quantities of military aid from the United States. And while there is fighting they can avoid looking candidly at themselves and the ruthlessness into which they are descending.
Gaza is now an experiment in provocation. Stuff one and a half million people into a tiny space, stifle their access to water, electricity, food and medical treatment, destroy their livelihoods, and humiliate them regularly...and, surprise, surprise - they turn hostile. Now why would you want to make that experiment?
Because the hostility you provoke is the whole point. Now 'under attack' you can cast yourself as the victim, and call out the helicopter gunships and the F16 attack fighters and the heavy tanks and the guided missiles, and destroy yet more of the pathetic remains of infrastructure that the Palestinian state still has left. And then you can point to it as a hopeless case, unfit to govern itself, a terrorist state, a state with which you couldn't possibly reach an accommodation.
And then you can carry on with business as usual, quietly stealing their homeland.
