Arts

Now, The War On . . .

November 21, 2013 Jodie Gummow, www.alternet.org Educate! Arts, Humor, Terrorism

A new campaign entitled, ‘ War on Irrational Fear’, launched by progressive ad agency, Incitement Design, aims to show Americans that our ongoing obsession with domestic terrorism is a costly and harmful distraction, which has been greatly exaggerated. According to its creators, the American media and elected officials talk about terrorism on a daily basis. However, when scrutinized, the actual death toll from terrorism in the United States is surprisingly small with an average of 4.6 American deaths per year from domestic terrorism in the last five years. The campaign puts a satirical spin on the “war on terror” through fact-based research and web video graphics which, according to Robert Arnow, campaign founder and director at Incitement Design, was inspired by Edward Snowden’s NSA mass surveillance revelations: “Snowden risked his liberty to inform the public about the illegal and immoral spying that was, and still is, being directed against innocent Americans. But almost no one in the media or government has addressed the elephant in the room: the data shows that domestic terrorism is simply not a big enough threat to justify the enormous sacrifice of public resources and liberty we’re making in its name"

Graffiti Mecca 5 Pointz Repainted White In Long Island City

November 19, 2013 Claire Trapasso and Irving DeJohn, www.nydailynews.com Educate! Arts

Queens’ graffiti mecca is no more. The extensive aerosol art on 5Pointz — an internationally renowned haven for urban artists — was quietly painted white early Tuesday morning. The Long Island City building is set to be demolished by the end of this year to make way for a pair of luxury apartments. The redevelopment plan — spearheaded by the owners of the site Jerry Wolkoff and his son David — was approved overwhelming by City Council in October. “I didn’t want any confrontation,” the elder Wolkoff said of the overnight overhaul that occurred between 3 a.m. and 8 a.m. “It’s torturous.” The artist collective sought to block the building’s demolition, filing a request for an injunction based on the Visual Artists Rights Act, which protects works of art that have “recognized stature.” Federal Judge Federic Block officially rejected their injunction last Tuesday, allowing for the demolition plans to move ahead. A 5Pointz lawyer said they are pursuing their case based on the federal act, despite the injunction being rejected. Meanwhile, Wolkoff slammed the artists’ efforts as insulting because he said he allowed the artists to spray all over his building for decades, he said.

The Revolution Will Have Live Music

November 18, 2013 Colin Moynihan, www.nytimes.com Create! Arts

The Rude Mechanical Orchestra is a New York City-based radical marching band. We exist in order to serve the efforts of progressive and radical groups and causes, including: feminism and women’s rights, immigrant rights, queer rights, labor, the environment, peace, community self-determination, and racial, social, and economic justice. We pledge to fight racism, sexism, homophobia, war and violence in all its forms. Through our music, we strive to bring joy and inspiration to these communities and to bring new people into radical causes. Internally, we work towards being a safe, welcoming place for all genders and gender identities, ages, races, backgrounds, sexual orientations, disabilities and musical skill levels. Through our musical selections, we pay tribute to the world’s cultures and the revolutionary role music has played throughout history.

Calle 13, Julian Assange, Tom Morello & Kamilya Jubran

November 18, 2013 Democracy Now!, www.huffingtonpost.com Educate! Arts, Julian Assange, Video

Calle 13, one of Latin America's most popular bands, released a new song this week featuring an unlikely collaborator -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. The song, "Multi_Viral," also features Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and the Palestinian singer Kamilya Jubran. To create the lyrics, Calle 13 lead singer and songwriter René Pérez, better known as "Residente," asked followers on Twitter to express their social justice concerns in a live brainstorming session with Assange. This is not the first time Calle 13 has made headlines for its political work. In 2005, the group quickly recorded and released a song about Puerto Rican independence leader Filiberto Ojeda Ríos just hours after he was shot dead by the FBI. They have called for the release of independence activist Oscar López Rivera, who has spent more than 32 years in jail, and have spoken out about police brutality and government spying. His group has won a record 19 Latin Grammy Awards.

Video: Davide Martello’s #StopKillingTour At The Lincoln Memorial

November 17, 2013 Global Rev Live and DC Media Group, www.youtube.com Resist! Arts, Wars and Militarism

Davide Montello began the US Stop Killing Tour in North Philadelphia (not where they planned to start). Unknown to Montello, there had been a shooting in the neighborhood the night before. A perplexed onlooker asked, 'what is this?' and when it was explained he said "we need that around here." Davide Montello had single-handedly halted the violence between the Istanbul, Turkey police and protesters this past Spring for 3 straight days prior to the eviction of the occupation of Gezi Park. Last night he played on the Smithsonian, here is a report and pictures of that performance. Tonight he played at the Lincoln Memorial. Below are three videos of his performance. Martello’s visit to Washington is part of his Stop Killing Tour. To learn more about the Stop Killing Tour, see other concerts and read their blog, visit his website here. The US tour began in North Philadelphia, the beginning was an improvisation as the plan had been to start in Maryland. Twitter hashtags #StopKillingTour & #DavideMontello to follow the progress of his tour with videos and pics These videos are brought to you by Global Rev Live and DC Media Group.

Davide Martello, Pianist Famous From Taksim Sq. In DC

November 17, 2013 Staff, www.dcmediagroup.us Resist! Arts, Wars and Militarism

On Saturday afternoon, Davide Martello rolled his piano onto the National Mall near the U.S. Capitol and performed for three hours. As night fell, blue lights shimmered from the keys and underside of the piano. Tourists and runners out on the Mall stopped to listen to the music until the crowd grew to nearly one hundred people. Martello’s visit to Washington is part of his Stop Killing Tour, which he embarked on after the Taksim Square performance in the hopes of spreading a message of nonviolence. He plans to stop at several more cities in the southern U.S. where there has been gun violence. On Sunday, he plans to perform at the gate of the Naval Shipyard, the scene of a mass shooting in September. “My goal is to bring beautiful music to the world so people can be inspired,” he said. His impromptu performances in public places are free, but he takes donations to cover his expenses.

Rally To Save 5 Pointz: “Graffiti Mecca Of The World”

November 16, 2013 Staff, www.PopularResistance.org Resist! Arts

A rally is being held today, Saturday, November 16, 2013, to save 5 Pointz Aerosal Art Center, a building in Long Island City, New York. Below is are photos from Four Square. There are various petitions online to sign, and follow the issue at #5Pointz or the Save 5 Pointz Facebook page. [nggallery id="89"] The situation is described by NY1 News: A group of street artists fighting to preserve the warehouse complex known as the "5 Pointz" suffered a defeat in court Tuesday. A federal judge in Brooklyn lifted a temporary restraining order that was preventing the building's owner from tearing it down. The structure in Long Island City has been called the "graffiti mecca of the world." The owner wants to replace it with a residential development. The plan includes two rental towers, a park and 12,000 square feet of artist's space and galleries. The Court Square Diner has been in the area for 23 years and has seen an increase in business from tourists coming to 5 Pointz.

John Pilger, Utopia

November 10, 2013 Andreas Wiseman, www.screendaily.com Educate! Arts, Australia, Indigenous Rights, Movies

John Pilger, who has reported discrimination against Australia’s first people since the 1970s, describes his new film as “a journey into a secret country” describing “not only the uniqueness of the first Australians, but their trail of tears and betrayal and resistance – from one utopia to another.” Interviewees include Aboriginal leaders, human-rights campaigners, academics and politicians, among them former prime minister John Howard. Never one to shy away from controversy, the film will be released in Australia on Australia Day (or ‘invasion day’, as Pilger also calls it) and will play at indigenous festivals including Sydney’s Yabun Festival. Executive producer Christopher Hird of Dartmouth Films, also producer of Pilger’s last documentary The War You Don’t See, praised the role of UK distributor Network Releasing in getting the film made: “Utopia would not have been possible without the very, very substantial support of Network.”

Upcoming Book: An Activist Armed With A Camera

November 9, 2013 Jenna Pope, www.indiegogo.com Educate! Arts, Climate Change, Freedom of Speech and Assembly, Occupy, Türkiye

One of the great photojournalists to come out of the Occupy Movement is Jenna Pope, she is crowd-funding her book. We urge you to support Jenna's efforts. "In February of 2011, the massive protests against Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker awoke me from my slumber and changed my life completely. I immersed myself within the front lines of the fight for justice and equality, and I haven't looked back even once. Fast forward two years and nine months and I am now living in New York City, traveling all over the US and internationally to stand with others who are striving for a better world. In the process, I have been arrested, pepper sprayed, tear gassed, hit with water cannons, and shot at with plastic bullets. I have slept on planes, trains, and buses, outside in the rain and snow, and on strangers' couches. And, everywhere I go, I have my camera in my hands. It has been an exciting, intense, and unpredictable journey where I am constantly being inspired by the people and movements I capture through the lens of my camera."

Reading Tonight From The Dandelion Insurrection

November 8, 2013 Staff, www.PopularResistance.org Educate! Arts, Revolution

Tonight is the official kick-off of a new novel about revolution, "The Dandelion Rebellion." The story is about the looming death of U.S. democracy and a firebrand writer "The Man From the North" and his experience with Zadie Byrd Gray as they foment revolution against growing tyranny. As the author, Rivera Sun writes in a preface it takes place "In a time that looms around the corner of toda, in a place on the edge of our nation, it is a crime to dissent, a crime to assemble, a crime to stand up for one's life. Despite all of this - or perhaps because of it - the Dandelion Insurrection began . . . " Their rallying cry is "life, liberty and love." Tonight the author will be doing a reading from the book. The show starts at 7:30pm EST and is about 45mins long.

Peace, Love, And Pepper Spray Book

November 5, 2013 Staff, www.peaceloveandpepperspray.com Educate! Arts, Book Review, Occupy

Peace, Love, and Pepper Spray, a new coffee table book by Emmy Award-winning journalist and photographer Amber Lyon, chronicles modern protesting in America with more than 200 photographs of activists at the heart of recent protests across the country. The book’s 12 chapters and individual activist profiles cover an array of recent protests with a focus on immigrant rights, Anonymous, women’s right to go topless, the Chicago Teacher’s Strike, online protest, attacks on press freedom, home foreclosure barricades, Keystone XL Pipeline demonstrations, Chicago NATO protests, Trayvon Martin, Anaheim police brutality and many, many more…

Banksy Remixed To Protest Cops’ Alleged Role In Motorcycle Rampage Assault

October 30, 2013 John D, el Signore, By, www.gothamist.com Resist! Arts, Police abuse

This piece is located on the corner of 178th St and St Nick's, where Alexis Lien was beaten by a group of motorcyclists, one of whom was an undercover cop that spied on Occupy Wall Street Protestors. This is the first piece in Banksy's New York residency where he has altered one of his previous works, the Protestor, depicting him as the under cover cop who smashed Alexis Lien's window. He seems to be saying that your typical violent protestor, is probably a cop. The gang of motorcyclist is replaced by scooter cops, notorious for harrassing peaceful critical mass bike rides, looks on smilingly, fully supportive of this violent behavior This particular piece seems to be commenting on the NYPDs active roll in traffic violence, which kills more than 250 New Yorkers every year. When undercover police officers take up helmets and smash windshields and off-duty cops drive drunk and kill pedestrians on sidewalks, it should be no surprise that they show up to the scene of children being run over by reckless drivers and declare No Criminality Suspected.

Picturing A World Without Prisons An Inside/Outside Exhibit (Nov 11-Dec 6)

October 25, 2013 James Ball, www.usprisonculture.com/ Create! Arts, Criminal Justice and Prisons

The U.S. is a prison nation. There is no other society in the history of humanity that has imprisoned more people. Over 2.2 million people are incarcerated in this country; representing an over 500% increase since 1970. This number excludes those we imprison in hundreds of immigrant detention centers. Our obsession with locking people up isn’t cheap. States spend over $50 billion a year just on their prison systems. The Federal government also spends tens of billions to police, prosecute, and imprison people. Yet research and anecdotal evidence show that incarceration makes people worse and does not improve public safety. Through this exhibit which brings together the visions of incarcerated youth and people on the outside, we want to engage the public in imagining a world without prisons with us.

Video: The Amazing Landfill Harmonic Orchestra

July 22, 2013 Staff, www.kickstarter.com Create! Arts, Poverty

This is an amazing video that will grab at your heart. It is about people in Cateuri, Paraguay, a slum built on a landfill, without any hope of escaping. The Landfill Harmonic reveals a mind-boggling, inventive effort to change that - musical instruments made from trash. In the barrios of Paraguay, a humble garbage picker uses his ingenuity to craft instruments out of recycled materials - and a youth orchestra is born. Music arises and children find new dreams. "Landfill Harmonic shows how trash and recycled materials can be transformed into beautiful sounding musical instruments, but more importantly, it brings witness to the transformation of precious human beings."

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