Peace

I began this project January of this year, as a response to the fear mongering pointed at Iran and Iranians.  I felt that the messages most of us in the west received through images and headlines were Ahmadinejad's scary face or talk of Iran's nuclear ambitions.  Point is, the US wanted to enter another (doomed for failure) war, and I wanted to counterbalance that rhetoric by providing an outlet for Iranian people to tell their story.  It seems safe enough to say at this time that the threat of that war is less likely.  Nevertheless, Persian culture and Iranians still deserve celebration!  As Americans, we should know better than to judge a people by their leader. 

Check out the new anti war music video by Adam Stern, feturing the artwork of Yo! artist Mear One:

JUST HOW DOES A PATRIOT ACT
A Response to US Policy at Home and Abroad
Curator : Joella March

at OCCCA

October 4th - 26th, 2008
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 4th 6pm-12am

Performance art Event:

October 18th from 8 pm to 11 pm. (Free event).
Featuring “Letters To The President” a multi-media spoken word performance by M.S.Garvey; original performance art by Toni Ivashkov and a spoken word poetry slam performed by local poets, including D'Lo, John Trudell and Douglas Kearney and special guest Vietnam Vet / anti-war activist Ron Kovic

The Grab, Ryan Broughman, 2008

The Exhibition:
“Just How Does A Patriot Act” seeks to create a forum for conversation and debate, extending beyond the current political climate of denial, distraction, and dismissal of the public voice and will.

The Artists in this Exhibition:
The artists in this exhibition work in a variety of media including traditional and new forms : Painting, Drawing, Screen printing, Assemblage, Animated Neon, Kinetic Sculpture, Installation, Fashion, Sculpture, Text Art, Photography, Sound sculpture, Digital Media, Conceptual Art, Performance Art and Video. They represent various ages, political, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and are all answering the call to inquire, investigate, analyze and create.

Revealing questions, answers and solutions through their own unique process, as they contemplate and respond to U.S. policy at home and abroad, (including Abu Grahib, War profiteering, 9/11, Over deployment of U.S. troops, Public Apathy, Loss of Civil liberties, Accountability, Environment, Economy Immigration, Homeland Security )

Just how does a patriot act in a changing world?
I invite you all to ruminate upon this query. To begin a discussion that extends beyond gallery walls. To take an active role in the future of this nation and the world. To not loss faith in ”the power of the people” or the ability for one voice to make a profound difference. Knowledge redefines power, use it or loose it!

“To dissent is Patriotic” – Thomas Jefferson, founding father

We The Artists:

Andrew Armstrong * Bryan de Roo * Cat Gwynn
Chris Revelle * Clayton Campbell * Dan Van Clapp
Danielle Adair * Dianna Cohen * Douglas McCulloh
Elana Mann * Francisco Letelier * Hillary Mushkin
Hayley Blatte * Jason Chakravarty * Joe Biel * Jody Zellen
John Carr * John Trudell * Karen Atkinson * Karen Fiorito * Lunna Menoh * Matthew Bryant * Meekyung Shim
~
Nabby El-Soudani * Nancy Buchanan * Nicholas Grider
Noah Breuer * Rebecca Lowry * Richard Ankrom
Robbie Conal * Robin Clark* Roman Genn
Ryan Broughman * Sahar Alsawaf * Sheila Pinkel
Stephen Anderson * Suzanne Mejean * Tomas Moreno
Toni Ivashkov * Wayne Coe * William Stone
Zachary Biberstine * Zig Gron

Michael Garvey / Spoken Word Performance Artist
“LETTERS TO THE PRESIDENT”
M.S. Garvey has composed over 130 letters (and counting) to President George W. Bush. In the mysterious Courtyard’s inner sanctum and under the watchful gaze of his cat Mr. Pickles, he writes the letters on his human-powered typewriter and mails the originals to the White House.
The letters express Garvey’s thoughts on topics from administration policies, the direction of our country and the current wars, to charity, peace and the power of taking baths. He held the first live readings in the summer of 2002 at O’Brien’s Pub in Venice, and then went on to perform selected letters in Los Angeles, Grand Rapids, Chicago and Berlin, as well as various cities in Romania. M.S. Garvey also participated in the 2004 Republican National Convention by staging readings outside of Madison Square Garden during convention events.

Over time, the show has evolved into a collaborative performance piece that defies description, with a rotating cast of accomplished musicians. Garvey, a charismatic presence and expansive performer, proclaims the letters against a sonic backdrop of improvised music that beckons the sounds of old New Orleans, the Kansas plains and the dark bars of Los Angeles. Full of humor, insight and passion, these rare performances are not to be missed. In an exclusive two-week engagement (November 29th to December 9th, 2007), M.S. Garvey’s “Letters to the President”, co-produced by Ice Hat Creative and the Robert Berman Gallery, was performed with The Hootenanny All-Stars at the Electric Lodge in Venice, Calif.

“Michael Garvey’s solo show is something different...in just under an hour he poignantly raises a question familiar to many...creates a welcoming place for the confused and downhearted citizen.” --The Chicago Reader

CURATOR:
Joella March is an artist and curator living and working in Los Angeles. She has exhibited her kinetic sculptures in many galleries including the Museum of Neon Art. Joella has curated group and solo exhibitions throughout Los Angeles.

Joella March
Exhibition contact: PatriotArt2008@yahoo.com

Admission Free

First Friday Films: October 3: 8pm
Iraq For Sale: The War Profiteers (2006)
Director: Robert Greenwald

EMC Concert no.27: October 11: 8pm
Slow
Audacity
Life on The Bang Bus

OCCCA
117 North Sycamore
Santa Ana, CA USA 92701

Sarah Palin's severe inadequacy to become second in command was put on blast via her Charlie Gibson interview, though I'm positive that the hardcore right-wingers are far too committed to their position to admit it.

For those who missed the three-part interview, it can quite possibly be summed up by her response to Gibson's inquiry about her comment regarding her lack of focus on the Iraq War:

"Of course I've been focused on the war, of course I've been, as every American has been, since 9/11."

 WTF??

LOST FILM FEST emergency event w. vj scott beibin
Sept 9th tuesday
@ The Sugar Shack
doors 7pm

See the footage from the mccain riots @ the RNC that the mainstream media didn't cover

Last week the mainstream media took the bait from the Republicans, and we were duped into believing that the RNC was delayed because of Hurricaine Gustav. The real reason for the delay in convention commencement is that police riots broke out all over Minneapolis / St. Paul.

Tens of thousands of people came to minneapolis for a week of protests against the war in Iraq and the policies of the republicans. The police caused riots that happened subsequently not only infringed on the civil liberties of the protestors, but rounded up hundreds of bystanders in the mass arrests including hundred of journalists. The national media stood by complicity by covering the snooze fest inside the convention walls while ignoring what was happening in the streets. People were arrested without cause, detained without charges, and in some cases tortured in jail. Running battles in the streets were commonplace, with the clouds of teargas and hail of rubber bullets almost impossible to ignore. Now that all the ballyhoo is settling down the pieces of the story are all coming clearly into view.

Get a sneak peek of some fresh footage at the special LOST FILM FEST event in Los Angeles TONIGHT - Tues Sept 9th to see what the mainstream corporate media isn't telling you.

Bring a flash drive tonight so I can pass along video from last week to give to your friends. Ask why this major news story was blacked out by the mainstream media and see the evidence for yourself.

Take a peek at some footage here: www.theuptake.org

Technorati Tags: Activism, Activist, Antiwar, Lost Film Fest, Scott Beibin, Sugar Shack, RNC, Republican National Convention, Protest, theuptake

Yo! Artist Favianna Rodriguez is out at the DNC along with Yo! crew Alex and Andi, protesting, screenprinting and prepping for a big immigrants rights march scheduled to happen today (Thursday, August 28th, 2008). From the most recent email: "Today, Rage Against the Machine played to a crowd of 10,000, and then, they all marched out to support the Iraq Vets Against the War, who marched in full uniform and formation - to the Pepsi Center where the Clintons were speaking. It was very powerful to see so many vets oppossed to the war - even high ranking ones!" Favianna is also reporting for KPFK, so be sure to tune in to hear her daily updates.
Here's some pics, hot off the wire:

Technorati Tags: Activism, Activist, DNC, Democratic National Convention,Iraq Veterans Against the War, IVAW, Protest, Favianna Rodriguez, Yo What Happened to Peace

Looks like SF and NY are gonna have to battle over the cultural activist city title. Come on LA, where you at?

Running from September 20th to November 22, 2008, Signs of Change is a major exhibition opening at Exit Art on September 20, 2008, chronicling 50 years of the cultural productions of social movements. Dara Greenwald and Josh MacPhee have curated over 600 posters, prints, photographs, moving images, audio clips, and other ephemera from over 30 countries. Signs of Change provides a dialogue with the past and an engagement with the present about the important cultural work of social movements. From the American Indian Movement to Women's Liberation, the South African Anti-Apartheid struggle to Portugal's Revolution of the Carnations, German Autonomen and squatters to South Korea's Kwang Ju uprising, this exhibition carries us through the whirlwind of people taking action to change the world.

Check out the special events below, including a night with Yo! Artist and friend, Favianna Rodriguez.

Special Events in conjunction with the Exhibition include:

Opening: Saturday September 20, 7-10pm
Live Screen Printing, Ice Cream from the Tactical Ice Cream Unit

September 25:
Symposium— Presentations and Discussions with Social Movement Cultural Producers and Theorists
Including Yustoni Volunteero/Taring Padi Collective (Indonesia), Ill Commonz (Japan), Favianna Rodriguez/Tumis Design (Oakland, CA) and Sandy Kaltenborn/Image-Shift (Germany) and others TBA.

October 11-13:
Social Movement Film/Video Festival and Discussion (in collaboration with 16beaver Group)
Featuring a rare US screening of Narita: Peasants of the
Second Fortress by the Japanese film collective Ogawa Productions, as
well as Finally Got the News (The League of Revolutionary Black
Workers) and films by the Big Noise Films, Chiapas Media Project, Diva
TV, Newsreel and many more!

October 24:
Premier screening of short films and footage of the 1960's Dutch Provo movement, and Book Release of Richard Kempton's Provo: Amsterdam's Anarchist Revolt (in collaboration with Autonomedia Press).

In Addition:
Weekly Film/Video Screenings during the exhibit open hours.
Live Screenprinting with guest artists and activists, dates TBA. (please check www.exitart.org for the most up to date info and details, as well as the soon-to-be-launched exhibition website: www.socialmovementcultures.org)

Technorati Tags: Activism, Activist, Antiwar, Social Movement, Exit Art, New York, Favianna Rodriguez, Josh MacPhee, Dara Greenwald, Art, Print, Poster, Opening

There's some great pro-peace cultural events comin up in the Bay Area (you know how we do it up here, yeeee!). The ATA (Artist's Television Access) is a great spot, making television something you should be tuning into, instead of something to zone out to. Comin' up Friday, August 22nd, 2008, is a screening of a documentary on mass protest, specifically about protest against the war in Iraq. Here's what they have to say about it:

In the winter of 2003, as the US was building up to attack Iraq, people around the world responded with a series of the largest protests in history.

In San Francisco, the response to the US's illegal and brutal attack was a mass uprising that forced the police to declare the financial district “shut down” the day after the war started.

Orchestrated by Direct Action to Stop the War (DASW), 20,000 people clogged the streets of downtown San Francisco with everything from brass bands and bicycles to mourning mothers and large-scale lockdowns, stopping business as usual. But neither the uprising nor DASW outlasted the occupation.

Created by organizers from within DASW, SHUTDOWN goes behind the scenes for a look at some of the difficulties and pitfalls of mass organizing, direct action and building a movement that lasts. 45 mins. Directed b Beca Lafore, Helia Rasti & Jonathan Stribling-Uss.

They will also be screening two short films.

Artists' Television Access
992 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 824-3890
ata@atasite.org

Technorati Tags: Activism, Activist, Antiwar, ATA, Artists Television Access, Film, Screening, Protest, Peace, Direct Action to Stop the War, San Francisco

Women like Schauleh Vivian Sahba rock.  Enraged by the war-mongering sentiments put forth by political "leaders," Sahba - a second generation Iranian-American - decided to do something.  She founded Voices for Peace, a grassroots effort that brought together citizens in and around the Bay Area to "humanize Iran in the eyes of Americans who have never met anyone of Iranian origin.”    

She began this public service announcement project before she had even taken a FinalCut Pro class.  As the saying goes, leap and the net will follow.

Technorati Tags: Voices for Peace, Iran, Iranian-Americans, Schauleh Vivian Sahba, peace, diplomacy

(photo courtesy the Beachblogger)

Technorati Tags: Beachblogger, peace, Art, beach love