Katherine's blog

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

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

This is not only a great art show, that is happening in different versions all over the country, but the events the gallery is hosting are great as well - movies, book signings, concerts...

WAR & EMPIRE

September 4 - November 4 2008
reception - Thursday September 4th, 6-9 PM

Meridian Gallery
535 Powell Street
San Francisco, California

SPECIAL EVENTS
Friday, September 12, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. - Pat Oliphant Book Signing
Political cartoonist Pat Oliphant will sign his new book, Leadership: Cartoons and Sculpture from the Bush Years
Friday, October 10, 4:30 p.m. - Norman Solomon, internationally recognized civil rights and antiwar activist, talks about his book and the film War Made Easy.
CONCERTS
Wednesday, September 17, 7:30 p.m.- Meridian Music presents The Cornelius Cardew Choir
Wednesday, September 24, 7:30 p.m.- Hafez Modirzadeh & Saed Muhssin
FILM SERIES
Documentary films will be shown every Friday, with screenings at 4:30 & 7:30 p.m.
Fiction films will be shown every Saturday, with screenings at 7:30 p.m.
Fri. 9/5/08: Why We Fight (Dir. Eugene Jarecki, 2005)
Sat. 9/6/08: All Quiet on the Western Front (Dir. Lewis Milestone, 1930)
Fri. 9/12/08: Sir! No Sir! (Dir. David Zeiger, 2005)
Sat. 9/13/08: The Day the Earth Stood Still (Dir. Robert Wise, 1951)
Fri. 9/19/08: The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara (Dir. Errol Morris, 2003)
Sat. 9/20/08: Europa, Europa (Dir. Agnieszka Holland, 1990)
Fri. 9/26/08: No End in Sight (Dir. Charles Ferguson, 2007)
Sat. 9/27/08: The Night of the Shooting Stars (Dir. Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, 1982)
Fri. 10/3/08: Taxi to the Dark Side (Dir. Alex Gibney, 2007)
Sat. 10/4/08: Dr. Strangelove (Dir. Stanley Kubrick, 1964)
Fri. 10/10/08: War Made Easy (Dir. Loretta Alper & Jeremy Earp, 2008)
Sat. 10/11/08: Mash (Dir. Robert Altman, 1970)
Fri. 10/17/08: Power of Nightmares parts 1 & 2 (Dir. Adam Curtis, 2004)
Sat. 10/18/08: Three Kings (Dir. David O. Russell, 1999)
Fri. 10/24/08: Power of Nightmares parts 2 & 3 (Dir. Adam Curtis, 2004)
Sat. 10/25/08: In the Valley of Elah (Dir. Paul Haggis, 2007)

Art of Democracy - artofdemocracy.org
Posters - artofdemocracy.org/posters/posters.html
Exhibits - artofdemocracy.org/galleries/All-shows.html
Art of Democracy on Flickr - flickr.com/photos/art-of-democracy
More images at artofdemocracy.org/galleries/west/meridian/gallery_sf-meridian.html

Download the .pdf of Art of Democracy events below

Technorati Tags: Art of Democracy, San Francisco, Poster, Exhibition, Politics, Political, Meridian Gallery, Film, Protest, Screen Printing,

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

Dear Friends,

This September, the Republicans are meeting in Saint Paul, Minnesota, September 1-4, 2008, to nominate candidates for president and vice-president of the United States and to create their political platform.

The Republicans, as you may remember, are the ones that brought the citizens of the United States (and the citizens of the world) such delights as the war in Iraq, the current economic recession, flagrantly increased national debt, and a lack of timely response to global warming. They are also creators of the current impasse with national healthcare, the debacle in New Orleans and Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina, the stalemate with NAFTA reform, decreasing immigrant rights, tax cuts for the rich, and blatant, far-reaching government corruption

So how do you feel about all that? Want to express yourselves? Well, we want to help you.

Grupo Soap del Corazón is a Latino artists’ group based out of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. We have a nine-year history of cultural and social activism here in Minnesota and in North and South America. Our work has been seen by thousands of people in galleries, museums, non-profits, and alternative art spaces as well as on the walls and telephone poles of many communities. (For more on the history of Grupo Soap, see our website: www.myspace.com/gruposoapdelcorazon). We are organizing an international poster project, to take place on the streets of your town (wherever you are) and on the streets of our town. As you may know, political posters have a long and varied international history (www.politicalgraphics.org) and have been an effective way for artists to effect change. We are hoping to inspire posters and postering throughout the world… in Spain, Chile, Ireland, Norway, India, Mexico, Germany, etc – and also throughout the U.S. Here’s how you can be a part of our efforts:

1. Make a poster. Anything expressing your viewpoint on the coming U.S. election, the Republican convention, the state of the United States, it’s role in the world, and the state of that world.

2. Create the poster any way you want.

3. Minimum size for the poster is 11”x17”.

4. You must print a minimum run of 8 posters. The posters must be multi-run prints: one-of-a-kind works of art will not be accepted. A minimum of 5 must be placed out in your community, on walls, on telephone poles, in windows, etc.

5. A minimum of 3 of the posters must be sent to Grupo Soap del Corazón and arrive by August 30th, 2008. 1 poster will be in an art exhibit that we create and, later, our archive. 1 poster will be sent to the Center for the Study of Political Graphics. The rest will be used to poster the streets of the Twin Cities before, during, and after the Republican convention.

6. To be part of this effort, you must also send us at least one digital image of your poster on walls, telephone poles, etc in YOUR community. Send them to artjones@bitstream.net.

7. Digital of all posters posted out in your community will be put up on our website: myspace.com/gruposoapdelcorazon.

8. There will be an exhibition of ALL the posters, most likely opening in October for the end of the campaign season. Right now we are in negotiations with the California Gallery in Northeast Minneapolis. We will announce the show on our myspace site by September 15th, 2008.

9. Send your posters to:

Grafica Politica #2
Grupo Soap del Corazon
c/o Douglas Padilla
304 2nd Street NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413

10. Please spread the word. Email around to other artists and encourage them to participate. We especially urge you to encourage artists in countries outside the U.S.A. – we want the world’s voices to be heard here.

11. We will pay special attention to anyone who organizes a group of artists and sends in digital and posters as a group. Additionally, groups will get extra acknowledgement in the exhibition.

So, poster your town with your thoughts and feelings – and we’ll help you poster ours.

Douglas Padilla

Xavier Tavera

Grupo Soap del Corazon
www.myspace.com/gruposoapdelcorazon
artjones@bitstream.net

+++++++++++++++++

¿Tienes algo que decirles a los Republicanos?

Queridos amigos,

Este septiembre, los Republicanos tendrán una convención en St. Paul, Minnesota, (del 1 al 4 de septiembre del 2008), para nominar a los candidatos para la presidencia y la vicepresidencia de los Estados Unidos y para crear su plataforma política.

Los Republicanos, como recordarás, son los que han brindado a los ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos (y a los ciudadanos del mundo) la guerra contra Irak, la actual resección económica, el incremento de la deuda interna nacional y la falta de una respuesta al calentamiento global. Ellos, también son los creadores del estancamiento del sistema nacional de salud y de la reforma con el TLC (NAFTA), el deterioro de los derechos de los inmigrantes, cortes de impuestos para los ricos y una inminente corrupción en el gobierno.

¿Cómo se hace sentir todo esto? ¿Quiere expresarlo? Nosotros le queremos ayudar.

El Grupo Soap del Corazón es un grupo de artistas latinos con base en las ciudades gemelas de Minneapolis y St. Paul. Tenemos un historial de nueve años de activismo cultural y social en Minnesota, en Norteamérica y Sudamérica. Nuestro trabajo ha alcanzado a miles de personas en galerías, museos, instituciones sin fines de lucro y en espacios alternativos, así como en paredes y postes de teléfono en las calles de muchas comunidades. (Para más información acerca del grupo, visite nuestra página Web: www.myspace.com/gruposoapdelcorazon). Actualmente estamos organizando un proyecto internacional de cartel, que se llevará a cabo en las calles de su ciudad (dondequiera que te encuentres) y en las calles de nuestra ciudad. Como tal ves sabrá el cartel político tiene una larga historia internacional (www.politicalgraphics.org) y ha sido un elemento fundamental para los artistas que buscan un cambio. Esperamos inspirar a los artistas a crear carteles y a pegarlos por todo el mundo… España, Chile, Irlanda, Noruega, India, México, Alemania, etc. y también en los Estados Unidos. Debajo le diremos cómo participar:

1. Diseña un cartel. Cualquier pensamiento que exprese tu punto de vista para las elecciones presidenciales de los Estados Unidos, la convención republicana, la situación política de los Estados Unidos y su implicación en el mundo y la situación actual de mundo.
2. Crea un cartel en la manera que te sea posible.
3. Tamaño mínimo del cartel será 11”X17”.
4. Deberás imprimir al menos 8 carteles. El cartel tendrá que ser reproducible: carteles únicos, originales no serán aceptados. Un mínimo de cinco carteles deberán pegarse en tu comunidad: paredes públicas, postes telefónicos, ventanas. etc.
5. Deberás mandar un mínimo de 3 carteles al Grupo Soap del Corazón para el 30 de agosto de 2008. Uno de estos tres carteles será enviado al Center for the Study of Political Graphics. El resto se colocarán en las calles de la Ciudades Gemelas, antes, durante y después de la convención republicana.
6. Para ser parte de este esfuerzo tendrás que mandar una imagen digital de tu cartel colocado en las calles de tu ciudad o en tu comunidad. Favor de enviarla a artjones@bitsream.net.
7. Las imágenes digitales de tu cartel en la calle, tendrán vida en nuestra página Web: myspace.com/gruposoapdelcorazon.
8. En octubre de 2008 tendremos una exhibición de todos los carteles. En este momento estamos en pláticas con la galería California en el noreste de Minneapolis. Anunciaremos la exhibición en myspace el 15 de septiembre de 2008.
9. Manda tus carteles a:

Grafica Política #2

Grupo Soap del Corazón

c/o Douglas Padilla

304 2nd Street NE

Minneapolis, MN 55413

1. Corre la voz al mundo entero. Envía correos electrónicos a otros artistas y anímalos a participar. Especialmente a los artistas que residan fuera de los Estados Unidos. Queremos que esas voces se escuchen aquí.
2. Pondremos atención especial a cualquiera que pueda organizar un grupo de artistas y que mande su trabajo como grupo. Estos grupos tendrán reconocimiento especial durante la exhibición.

Así que a trabajar, empapela tu ciudad con tus pensamientos y tus sentimientos y nosotros te ayudaremos a empapelar nuestra ciudad.

Douglas Padilla

Xavier Tavera

Grupo Soap del Corazon
www.myspace.com/gruposoapdelcorazon
artjones@bitstream.net

Technorati Tags: Activism, Activist, Republican, Convention, Grupo Soap del Corazon, Call for Entries, Election, Poster, Art, Print, International

WRITE & REVOLT!
EXHIBIT, ART JAM & BOOK RELEASE PARTY & TALK
JULY 10 - AUG 10, 2008

AUG 9 SAT
CLOSING. 6 - 9 PM
Mike the Poet
Live Painting by Mear

FEATURED ARTISTS:
Archer
Auks
Aybon
John Carr
Edward Colver
Ekundayo
Fear
Gustavo Alberto Garcia Vaca
James Bentley
Mear
Nuke
Plek
Favianna Rodriguez
Siner
Winston Smith
Street Phantom
Thanx
Ween
YO! What Happened to Peace Crew

Crewest
110 Winston St. Los Angeles, CA 90013
ph | 213-627-8272
info@crewest.com
www.crewest.com

Hours Tues-Thur: noon-7pm;
Fri-Sat: Noon-8pm;
Sun: Noon-6pm, Closed Mondays

Technorati Tags: Crewest, Reproduce and Revolt, Favianna Rodriguez, Josh MacPhee, book, Activism, Activist, Antiwar

New York, we've missed you. To remedy that, we're making our way to NYC in July! Here's the details:

What:
Yo! What Happened to Peace? at Ogilvy & Mather

When:
opening July 17th, 2008, 5-8pm, running through Sept. 17th, 2008

Where:
Ogilvy & Mather
309 West 49th Street
8th Floor
New York, NY 10019

This event is gonna rock! There will be live screenprinting, music, art, people with brains to pick, an artist book signing...

Technorati Tags: Yo What Happened to Peace, Ogilvy, Mather, New York, NY, Art, opening, print, artist, anti war, pro peace, political