I have worked with Katie Kaplan since she was 15 and she and her bandmates came to a zinemaking workshop that I was hosting at the library. She participated in the F-Word, TTYL (Totally Teens Youth Lounge), RUST, and Youth Invasion at the Warhol, and was one of our first Youth Open Studio shop assistants at AIR. She is now a junior at Pratt and is accompanying Heather White and myself to Brazil at the end of March to do some silkscreen printing projects. We are self-fundraising for this trip with Brazilian dinners at my house and prints on paper and T-shirts. (you can buy Katie's print, Work Pants, HERE). I thought her having her first print for sale on Justseeds would be a nice opportunity to ask her some questions about her work. Here we go!

Tell me a bit about your background and artistic process. What influences and inspires you in your work? How do you go about creating your prints?
I was really lucky as a teenager. I was exposed to so many different art forms through different public programs, working at Artist Image Resource and the Warhol museum, and going to an arts high school. I was surrounded by really supportive and inspiring people at these places. My artistic process is really all over the place, which I guess my work reflects. People, places, materials, processes, events, history- I draw all the time, and always have many projects going at once. I usually start from a place of personal experience, and then that very naturally flows into my larger worldview.

How has living in New York versus Pittsburgh affected your work?
I can sum that up in an analogy: In Pittsburgh I travel by walking everywhere, and in Brooklyn I’m constantly rushing around on my bike or taking the subway. The pace is just so different. I’m also in my studio alone a lot, whereas in Pittsburgh I have more time to collaborate and do street work. Pittsburgh nurtured me, and Brooklyn pushes me.

Do you see yourself as an artist-activist? what role does social justice play in your artwork and life?
I do see myself this way, and although I’m usually not making political posters (unless there is a specific cause or event), social justice and activism are always a part of my work in some way. My political concerns and beliefs inform the way I live my life, making them inseparable from the art that I make. For example, in my sculpture I salvage all my materials, and I also get food this way.

How do feminism and queerness inform your work?
This also deals with the lack of separation between art and life for me. I’m a queer, feminist anti-capitalist and all these aspects naturally flow into what I’m doing at a given time, because those are things I’m always thinking about.

I know you have many mediums and interests - silkscreening of course, zines, books, clothing, street art...are one of these areas standing out more for you, or do you see yourself combining these different forms?
I just love doing everything. Video, animation, printmaking, fiber, welding, performance, photography, public work, collaboration, music, drawing, painting. It just comes down to choosing which medium best fits my overall intention.

new work: Spiritual Protection Jumpsuit

I love the work you have been doing recently, combining printing and clothing. what led you to do this, and what are you searching for in this process?
Working in fiber as a woman is totally loaded. My mother grew up making all her own clothing, and there’s a long lineage of that kind of work on her side. For me, working with fabric is a feminist, DIY re-appropriation of this history. I was also searching for a way to expand from traditional printmaking, and the transition from paper to fabric was an easy way for me to bring new layers into the pieces. The meticulous nature of combing these two processes also suits me.

What goals do you have for yourself in the next 5 years?
Get married and start a family…haha just kidding. Work as hard as I possibly can on my art until my brain explodes. I’d also like to step away from the solo stuff a bit and work on some sort of collaborative activism project. I’m not really the organizing type, but I want to be able to offer my skills to something that would promote some sort of positive change. Also, I want to travel for a while, become a master herbalist and vegan cook, have a garden, learn a few more languages, play in a band again, and meet as many amazing people as I can.

still from an in progress video, on location at the flushing airport

Thank you, Katie!
We will be sure to post updates on our silkscreen power trip on this here blog.

During my residency, I lead a participatory workshop called "Picturing Cooperation." The premise of the workshop was that we don't see a lot of images of cooperation in the media, and if we are not so fortunate as to see it in our lives, how do we know what it looks like? And if we can't visualize it, how are we going to create it? During the workshop we brainstormed where cooperation happens, with what actions and by whom, and we took turns posing in groups while the other group sketched. After that we headed over to the print shop and made a giant collaborative print. Here's a photo of the workshop, and the print I made that was inspired by it. I am always interested in group process: how it can work, and why it doesn't sometimes; and I really enjoyed my sojourn to a new city to draw a group of strangers and friends into the outwardly dubious but ultimately satisfying project of getting along.

3/12/10

From SDSMKE: "Over 70 students, professors and teachers assistants picketed outside the chancellor’s office, as four organizers met inside with the chancellor to demand that he drop the threat of academic punishment for the 16 student protesters who were arrested during the March 4 National Day of Action for Education Rights.

“15 police in riot gear were inside the building protecting the chancellor,” noted Students for a Democratic Society organizer Rachel Matteson who met with the chancellor. “We won two basic demands today, which were to have the chancellor participate in a public forum about the demands of the UWM Education Rights Campaign and to have more investigation into the excessive use of police force on March 4, but the academic punishment of the protesters is still uncertain and the much larger struggle for student and worker rights must continue.”

SDS is excited to see the chancellor finally meeting some demands of the campaign, and we hope to continue the positive movement. We are still demanding that all charges be dropped against the 16! Education is a Right!"

Please join dynamic women of color activists, experts, innovators, artists and entrepreneurs at the "Kinks, Locks & Twist: Environmental and Reproductive Justice Conference 2010."

The third year of Kinks, Locks and Twists will be bigger and better than ever and we hope you will join us for this groundbreaking opportunity to achieve Human Rights for women of color in the Greater Pittsburgh Region at the intersection of two powerful social change movements.

Power Up girls will be attending the conference and assisting with live silkscreen printing in the afternoon. Saturday evening, celebrate Women of HERstory month and New Voices Pittsburgh's 6-Year Anniversary, with a celebration featuring music, art, performances and more...Justseeds artist Mary Tremonte joins others in exhibiting work in the silent auction.

for a full calendar of HERstory events and more information, look HERE

15th Annual Bay Area Anarchist Book Fair
Saturday, March 13, 2010, 10am – 6pm
Sunday, March 14, 2010, 11am – 5pm

San Francisco County Fair Building
Golden Gate Park, 9th Ave and Lincoln Way

For more information call 415.431-8355 or visit www.sfbookfair.wordpress.com

CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY:

Dear comrades,
The situation of this region called Chile is already known, thus we believe more details about the earthquake are not necessary, as the Internet offers a lot of information about what took place.

The group of individuals that make up the Productora de Comunicación Social* escaped physical damage, even though during the earthquake a couple of comrades from our organization were in Concepción, one of the most devastated regions - leaving the site where they were pretty much uninhabitable and losing some equipment used for the work of the organization.

In Santiago, our main workplace and where meetings were held, also home to a couple of our comrades - the Casa Volnitza - was partially destroyed. Currently, we are looking into repairing the site, since neither the Productora nor the Sociedad de Resistencia Santiago**, with whom we share the space, have another place to go to.

We have had constant contact with some organizations in southern Chile. The comrades that were near the epicenter were able to communicate directly with us about the help they need.

There are social center and sister organizations in poblaciones, or working class neighborhoods, that were heavily damaged by the earthquake and also by actions taken by the police, the army, mass media and the government.

Given the circumstances, we are asking for help from our comrades from different parts of the world. Here in Santiago, businesses are up and running, so one can even buy food and basic items that are not reaching us via the government. We have already sent some help to the southern region with what we have here in Santiago, even though we too have been affected.

In our space, the Sociedad de Resistancia Santiago is helping to collect items to send to the most affected area where there are still no basic services, or wherever organizations are requesting help.

As the Productora we would like to request monetary support from all organizations that know our work and trust us. These contributions will be used to recover lost material and equipment, possible restorations or an alternative space and to send aid to the Southern organizations. Obviously no institutional channels work to help the direct work of anti-authoritarian organizations.

All persons or organizations interested in providing some sort of collaboration, contact us as quickly as possible at our e-mail:
productoradecomunicacionsocial at gmail dot com

See you soon.
Reconstructing the social movement,
Health, bread and freedom!
Productora de Comunicación Social.
Videorevista - Sin(a)psis***

"comunicando acción en la construcción del movimiento social"
Valparaiso - Santiago - Valdivia - Temuco - Antofagasta - Design - and beyond

Translator Note:
The Productora de Comunicación Social, or Social Communication Production, are the production collectives that publish the Chilean video-magazine Sin(a)psis***, an independent publication in DVD format covering the praxis of anarchist organizing in that region and beyond.
More info on their Facebook

The Sociedad de Resistencia Santiago groups the working, the unemployed and students into anti-authoritarian initiatives to generate collective solutions for immediate needs, be they economic, social and/or cultural without leaving behind the purpose of collective liberation.

Abajo en Español

Salud compañeros y compañeras. Ya es conocida la situación de esta región llamada Chile, por lo que creemos que más datos sobre el terremoto no son necesarias, en internet hay mucha información sobre lo sucedido.

El grupo humano de la Productora de Comunicación Social ha resultado ileso, aun cuando un compañero y una compañera de la organización estaban en Concepción, una de las regiones más destruídas, quedando el lugar donde estaban inhabitable y perdiendo algunos equipos menores que utilizaban para trabajar en la organización..

En Santiago, nuestro lugar de trabajo, reuniones, actividades y donde además viven un par de compas, Casa Volnitza, ha quedado parcialmente destruido. En estos momentos, estamos decidiendo reparar el lugar, ya que ni la Productora ni la Sociedad de Resistencia Santiago, con quienes compartimos el espacio, tenemos otro lugar donde irnos.

Afortunadamente, no hemos tenido pérdidas materiales sustanciales. Pero el derrumbe que hubo en nuestra sede es de proporciones mayores.

Tenemos constante contacto con algunas organizaciones del sur de Chile. La compa y el compa que se encontraban cerca del epicentro pudieron traer noticias directas sobre la ayuda que se necesita.

Hay centros sociales y organizaciones hermanas que se encuentran en poblaciones muy dañadas por el terremoto y también por la acción de las policías, el ejército, los medios masivos y el gobierno.

Dada las circunstancias, queremos solicitar ayuda a nuestr@s compañer@s en distintas localidades del mundo. Acá en Santiago, el comercio está funcionando, por lo que aun se puede comprar alimentos y cuestiones básicas que no están llegando por las vías gubernamentales. Ya se ha enviado un poco de ayuda con lo que tenemos en Santiago, pero incluso nosotros estamos afectados.

En el espacio, la Sociedad de Resistencia Santiago está ayudando a recolectar cosas para mandarlas a la zona más afectada, donde aun no hay servicios básicos, o donde las organizaciones lo están solicitando.

Como Productora queremos solicitar ayuda monetaria a todas las organizaciones que conocen nuestro trabajo y que confían en nosotros. Estos aportes serán utilizados para recuperar material y equipo perdido, una posible restauración, o solución alternativa de espacio y para mandar ayuda a las organizaciones del sur. Obviamente las vías institucionales no sirven para ayudar el trabajo directo de las organizaciones antiautoritarias.

Todas las personas u organizaciones interesadas en prestar colaboración, contactarse lo mas rapido posible a nuestro mail productoradecomunicacionsocial@gmail.com.

Hasta pronto.
En la reconstrucción del movimiento social.
salud, pan y libertad!
Productora de Comunicación Social.
Videorevista - Sinapsis

Productoradecomunicacionsocial@gmail.com
Red de Distribución Valparaíso.
Sinapsis.Valparaiso@gmail.com

Sinapsis la Video Revista - Página de facebook

Compas ahi va la traduccion al italiano.

APPELLO ALLA SOLIDARIETà INTERNAZIONALE:

Cari compagni e compagne,

la situazione della regione chiamata Cile è già nota, per tanto crediamo che ulteriori dati sul terremoto non siano necessari, in internet si trovano molte informazioni su quanto accaduto.
Il gruppo umano della Productora de Comunicación Social* (produttrice di comunicazione sociale) è risultato illeso anche se un compagno e una compagna dell'organizzazione si trovavano, al momento delle scosse, a Concepcion, una delle regioni più distrutte dal terremoto ed il luogo dove stavano risulta adesso inabitabile. Inoltre sono andati perduti impianti e strumenti minori usati dall'organizzazione per lavorare.
A Santiago, la casa Volnitza, il nostro luogo di lavoro, di riunioni e di attività dove per di più vivono un paio di compagni, è stata praticamente distrutta.
In questo momento stiamo pensando di riparare lo spazio giacchè nè la productora nè la Società di Resistenza Santiago**, con la quale condividiamo il luogo, hanno altro posto dove andare.

Fortunatamente non abbiamo avuto perdite materiali sostanziali. Il crollo subito dalla sede è invece di proporzioni maggiori.
Manteniamo un contatto costante con varie organizzazioni del sud del Cile ed i compagni che si trovavano nei pressi del luogo dell'epicentro hanno potuto riportare notizie dirette riguardo l'aiuto di cui si ha bisogno.
Ci sono centri sociali e organizzazioni sorelle che si trovano in paesi molto danneggiati dal terremoto e dall'azione della polizia, dell'esercito, dei mezzi massivi e del governo.

Date le circostanze chiediamo aiuto a tutti/e i/le compagni/e delle distinte località del mondo. Qui a Santiago il commercio sta funzionando quindi si possono ancora comprare alimenti e questioni basiche che non stanno arrivando per via governamentale. Con ciò di cui disponiamo qui a Santiago abbiamo già provveduto ad inviare un pò di aiuti ma anche noi siamo stati colpiti.
La Società di Resistenza Santiago sta aiutando a riunire cose per mandarle nelle zone più colpite dove ancora adesso non ci sono servizi basici o laddove le organizzazioni stiano sollecitando aiuto e solidarietà.

Come productora vogliamo sollecitare l'aiuto monetario di tutte quelle organizzazioni che conoscono il nostro lavoro e che hanno fiducia in noi. Questi contributi saranno utilizzati per recuperare il materiale e gli strumenti persi, per una possibile restaurazione o per una soluzione alternativa dello spazio usato e per inviare aiuti alle organizzazioni del sud.

Ovviamente le vie istituzionali non servono per aiutare il lavoro diretto delle organizzazioni antiautoritarie.

Tutte le persone o organizzazioni interessate a prestare collaborazione sono pregate di contattarci il più presto possibile al nostro indirizzo di posta:
productoradecomunicacionsocial@gmail.com

A presto.
In ricostruzione del movimento sociale.
Salute, pane e libertà!
Productora de Comunicación Social.
Videorivista - Sinapsis

"comunicando azione nella costruzione del movimento sociale"
Valparaíso - Santiago - Valdivia - Temuco - Antofagasta - Concepción - e altr

- *La Productora de comunicaciòn social è un'organizzazione anarchica di comunicazione che pubblica periodicamente una videorivista indipendente in formato DVD intitolata "Sinapsis" che vanta 6 edizioni e varie pubblicazioni speciali.

Sinapsis la Video Rivista - Pagina di facebook

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?profile=1&id=161436684301#/pages/Chile/SINAPSIS-la-video-revista/161436684301

Rete di distribuzione Valparaíso.
Sinapsis.Valparaiso at gmail .com

Productoradecomunicacionsocial at gmail .com

- ** La Società di Resistenza Santiago si riconosce come un'organizzazione sociale composta dalla classe lavoratrice, da studenti, casalinghe e da chiunque si riconosca come parte della classe sfruttata. E' un gruppo di persone che cerca di generare soluzioni collettive alternative alle necessità immediate, siano esse di natura economica, sociale o culturale e che mira alla liberazione collettiva dal sistema aberrante che impera oggi giorno. I principi di base seguiti sono l'autogestione, l'anti dogmatismo, l'internazionalismo, l'orizzontalismo, la solidarietà e il mutuo soccorso.

Per maggiori informazioni visitare il sito:
http://sociedadresistencia.blogspot.com/