some useful links:
The Civil Disobedience Index , courtesy of Act Up
Practical Anarchy - great, now defunct journal of anarchist ideas + practices - archive somewhat flaky but worth searching out...
Activism at the Disinformation site
Articles from the Black Panther newspaper
Steal this Book by Abbie Hoffman
The Realist archive project
The Chicago Seven Trial transcripts
and of course all the wonderful crimethinc links posted here a while back...
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
guerilla communication
I've been doing a bit of research so I can understand more of the idea of what I can do with the project and stumbled upon a couple of groups I found interesting and would be useful to look for inspiration. With the idea of restricting the freedom, per say, I started looking at these groups, we all know about Banksy, the pseudo graffiti artist who vandals many walls in an attempt to have public awareness of politics, culture, and ethics.
Another group is monochrom - it is an international art-technology-philosophy group; one of their projects I found quite interesting is when they created a fake country named Soviet Unterzoegersdorf and wrote a history about it and afterwards creating a game which allowed many to direct the many questions monochrom had about representation and relevance of "history" and stories.
Subvertising refers to the practice of making spoofs or parodies of corporate and political advertisements in order to make a statement.
Another group is monochrom - it is an international art-technology-philosophy group; one of their projects I found quite interesting is when they created a fake country named Soviet Unterzoegersdorf and wrote a history about it and afterwards creating a game which allowed many to direct the many questions monochrom had about representation and relevance of "history" and stories.
Subvertising refers to the practice of making spoofs or parodies of corporate and political advertisements in order to make a statement.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
summary of projects and possible cells
OK, here are the projects so far summarized, with possible cell members as either "main" or "other contributors"...please add comments to the post, or start new project-specific threads so we can finally define clearly what everyone is doing...
Everyone needs a main project and other intersections with other projects to which you can contribute some technical or theoretical expertise. Some of these will involve culture jamming at large, others will involve physical interventions of various kinds.
I've combined a few of the project ideas that seemed to share basic motivations.
1. Strategies to curtail activist fatigue / sharing knowledge – how to properly articulate the problems and possible solutions without betraying the complexity of any social situation - setting up two rooms, one for disaffected activists, the other for those who have spent too much time in academia (out of touch with the real world), how does one articulate the situation and stimulate action in both contexts?
Main: Melissa
Other contributors:
2. Restricted freedom – physicalizing the virtual could be part of this – we’re talking about culture jamming, design of signage, hacks, graffiti, détourned billboards, "out-of-order" signs - could also be combined with "concerted physical viral alteration of advertisements" and "viral marketing campaign to stop the spread of spam" (a strategy used to draw attention to its own mechanisms) - this could be combined with other types of viral campaigns...
Main: Charisse, Phil, Anahita (Kristen)
Other contributors: Melissa, Jared, Ryan
3. Corporate reactions to activist resistance / bad press , developing causes that corporations can endorse / analysis of the way "good causes" are conceptualized / framed (i.e. rent-a-negro) --- Can this be applied to the creation of political parties as well?
Main: Owen, Simon, Melissa
Other contributors: ?
4. Facebook infiltration / analysis / exposure - setting up a fake site, creating the manipulations of content, then bringing these things to the surface (de-virtualizing them?). Invisible theatre closed loop will be one of the possible physical embodiments of this project.
Main: Jared, Phil, Kristen
Other contributors: Owen, Rebecca
5. Cell phone manipulations/hacks. Possibilities: scrambling cell phone signals, sending text messages when the phone user enters a certain zone (mall store?) – can be blended with theatrical elements – somewhat related to the flash mob idea – probably adopted a localized approach (to avoid easy detection by authorities). Some in charge of technical research, others to implement these strategies in real locations (via an invisible theatre (Boal) kind of strategy).
Main: Oskar (technical)
Other contributors: Anahita, Jared, Simon, Nicole, Phil?
6. "unbeknownst" - using internet stream of surveillance cameras as material - invasion of privacy - society of the panopticon...
Main: Braydon
Other contributors:
7. The aestheticization of the non-aesthetic (turning reviews into art) - the re-appropriation of everyday life as a locus for creative action
8. Viral logo campaign highlighting Canadian intervention into Afghanistan (Anahita)
9. Modifying the spectacular space of the internet (shift-space) - creating filters superimposed on corporate websites (Owen)
10. Deconstructing linkages between homelessness and advertising (Simon)
Everyone needs a main project and other intersections with other projects to which you can contribute some technical or theoretical expertise. Some of these will involve culture jamming at large, others will involve physical interventions of various kinds.
I've combined a few of the project ideas that seemed to share basic motivations.
1. Strategies to curtail activist fatigue / sharing knowledge – how to properly articulate the problems and possible solutions without betraying the complexity of any social situation - setting up two rooms, one for disaffected activists, the other for those who have spent too much time in academia (out of touch with the real world), how does one articulate the situation and stimulate action in both contexts?
Main: Melissa
Other contributors:
2. Restricted freedom – physicalizing the virtual could be part of this – we’re talking about culture jamming, design of signage, hacks, graffiti, détourned billboards, "out-of-order" signs - could also be combined with "concerted physical viral alteration of advertisements" and "viral marketing campaign to stop the spread of spam" (a strategy used to draw attention to its own mechanisms) - this could be combined with other types of viral campaigns...
Main: Charisse, Phil, Anahita (Kristen)
Other contributors: Melissa, Jared, Ryan
3. Corporate reactions to activist resistance / bad press , developing causes that corporations can endorse / analysis of the way "good causes" are conceptualized / framed (i.e. rent-a-negro) --- Can this be applied to the creation of political parties as well?
Main: Owen, Simon, Melissa
Other contributors: ?
4. Facebook infiltration / analysis / exposure - setting up a fake site, creating the manipulations of content, then bringing these things to the surface (de-virtualizing them?). Invisible theatre closed loop will be one of the possible physical embodiments of this project.
Main: Jared, Phil, Kristen
Other contributors: Owen, Rebecca
5. Cell phone manipulations/hacks. Possibilities: scrambling cell phone signals, sending text messages when the phone user enters a certain zone (mall store?) – can be blended with theatrical elements – somewhat related to the flash mob idea – probably adopted a localized approach (to avoid easy detection by authorities). Some in charge of technical research, others to implement these strategies in real locations (via an invisible theatre (Boal) kind of strategy).
Main: Oskar (technical)
Other contributors: Anahita, Jared, Simon, Nicole, Phil?
6. "unbeknownst" - using internet stream of surveillance cameras as material - invasion of privacy - society of the panopticon...
Main: Braydon
Other contributors:
7. The aestheticization of the non-aesthetic (turning reviews into art) - the re-appropriation of everyday life as a locus for creative action
8. Viral logo campaign highlighting Canadian intervention into Afghanistan (Anahita)
9. Modifying the spectacular space of the internet (shift-space) - creating filters superimposed on corporate websites (Owen)
10. Deconstructing linkages between homelessness and advertising (Simon)
Monday, February 25, 2008
presentations - central hub
Here's what I have so far - please add to this in comments. I've added a few side topics to some of the items and will follow up individually with each group on Wednesday, so have your topics and groupings ready by then.
1. Techno-utopianism / luddism (Oskar + ...)
2. Oversaturation of advertising – PowerShift – alternative media – PR industry, lobby groups (Charisse, Kristen, Antonietta)
3. Documenting the reality of marginalized people through various media – appropriation of voice vs. empowerment (Melissa + ...)
more topics?
1. Techno-utopianism / luddism (Oskar + ...)
2. Oversaturation of advertising – PowerShift – alternative media – PR industry, lobby groups (Charisse, Kristen, Antonietta)
3. Documenting the reality of marginalized people through various media – appropriation of voice vs. empowerment (Melissa + ...)
more topics?
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Project idea : unbeknownst
As a project I would like to destroy the privacy of the public through an interactive piece tentatively called
"unbeknownst: A global invasion of privacy"
Thousands of cameras, millions of actors.
Recently the internet has been buzzing with new knowledge that revealed interesting security flaws in security cameras that broadcast their feed online (to let the owner view it from abroad). Google of all things can be used to "hack" through passworded cameras or discover unlisted cameras online. Now anyone can quite easily stare anonymously into offices, skating rinks, theme parks, robotics laboratories and a myriad of other locations. These people have no idea that not only are they being watched, they're being watched by someone who has absolutely no affiliation with the location their in, and absolutely no purpose but to be completely and shamelessly voyeuristic. The issue of surveylance has been constantly spoken about, but now that these feeds are so readily available it has transcended classic issues. The internet voyeur has been born, the digital peeping tom. With sites like camhacker.com you can search for freely open cams, and semi private cams and a variety of other cams. This type of voyerism has never existed before, especially on this scale.
I was thinking a piece using live webcam feeds as artistic elements would be both a fascinating and constantly changing piece, but also quite abrasive because it uses actors that have no idea they're participating. I think the piece would open up discussion about the impact of surveylance and the implications and concerns surrounding internet privacy.
Here are some interesting links
Camhacker Search engine
http://www.camhacker.com
using google I found the following cameras
Traffic Camera (the arrows are used to decide which lights to trigger)
http://trafficcams.cet.unomaha.edu/view/index.shtml
The lowly security guard (he can often be seen with his feet up doing nothing)
http://203.81.32.125/indexFrame.shtml?newstyle=One&cam=2
The Asian highway
http://218.224.242.126/indexFrame.shtml?newstyle=Quad
The skating rink
http://vs1-73418.highspeedoffice.net/indexFrame.shtml?newstyle=Quad
The transport hub
http://200.54.180.74/indexFrame.shtml?newstyle=Quad
"unbeknownst: A global invasion of privacy"
Thousands of cameras, millions of actors.
Recently the internet has been buzzing with new knowledge that revealed interesting security flaws in security cameras that broadcast their feed online (to let the owner view it from abroad). Google of all things can be used to "hack" through passworded cameras or discover unlisted cameras online. Now anyone can quite easily stare anonymously into offices, skating rinks, theme parks, robotics laboratories and a myriad of other locations. These people have no idea that not only are they being watched, they're being watched by someone who has absolutely no affiliation with the location their in, and absolutely no purpose but to be completely and shamelessly voyeuristic. The issue of surveylance has been constantly spoken about, but now that these feeds are so readily available it has transcended classic issues. The internet voyeur has been born, the digital peeping tom. With sites like camhacker.com you can search for freely open cams, and semi private cams and a variety of other cams. This type of voyerism has never existed before, especially on this scale.
I was thinking a piece using live webcam feeds as artistic elements would be both a fascinating and constantly changing piece, but also quite abrasive because it uses actors that have no idea they're participating. I think the piece would open up discussion about the impact of surveylance and the implications and concerns surrounding internet privacy.
Here are some interesting links
Camhacker Search engine
http://www.camhacker.com
using google I found the following cameras
Traffic Camera (the arrows are used to decide which lights to trigger)
http://trafficcams.cet.unomaha.edu/view/index.shtml
The lowly security guard (he can often be seen with his feet up doing nothing)
http://203.81.32.125/indexFrame.shtml?newstyle=One&cam=2
The Asian highway
http://218.224.242.126/indexFrame.shtml?newstyle=Quad
The skating rink
http://vs1-73418.highspeedoffice.net/indexFrame.shtml?newstyle=Quad
The transport hub
http://200.54.180.74/indexFrame.shtml?newstyle=Quad
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
OBAY
I'm sure some of you have seen this. They're all over the ttc, in the subway and at bus stops. They're pretty awesome and I felt quite inspired. Keep an eye out for these, its pretty cool that this group actually got the money together to buy all this adspace. Sorry I couldnt be in class today, I had a dangerous weekend with my job and have been forced into working tonight. But I'm behind so many of the ideas posted i will happily jump into what commitments are made in todays class. See you all soon.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
restricted freedom
With keeping in my mind of what we had discuss in our first class - about our first realisation of social awareness. I looked back and started to take bits of pieces of how my emotions were at that time - Restricted. Confined. Suffocating. Enclosed. Limited. compared to how they are now - Free. Liberated. Uncramped. Open. And then I started to think about how we live in Canada and when would we feel the most restriction - there I started to think about laws, rules and regulations which inevitably led to road signs. With doing this I hope to show that we should be glad and happy that we live in a life with little restriction on our life. So with this idea I talked to Kristen and we started to draw ideas up of how we could this... we were planning to create real signage and have it posted around campus and taking note of the responses we get from passerby who aren't used to this restriction - we haven't really thought of what we want to write but for example one sign could say 'no listening to music at this point.'
class tomorrow
Well, I'm still in Chicago and my flight tonight was cancelled - I still hope to make class tomorrow at 3:30, but at the moment I can't guarantee it...
As I was planning to use the entire class to finalize presentations + projects, I would appreciate it greatly if you all showed up at the regular class time and discussed / finalized groupings for both these components.
Please post the results of your discussions on the blog under the project and presentation topics. I can't stress enough the importance of finalizing these things quickly - the sooner I know what everyone is working on, the sooner I can offer guidance...
See you all very soon (if not tomorrow)
Marc
As I was planning to use the entire class to finalize presentations + projects, I would appreciate it greatly if you all showed up at the regular class time and discussed / finalized groupings for both these components.
Please post the results of your discussions on the blog under the project and presentation topics. I can't stress enough the importance of finalizing these things quickly - the sooner I know what everyone is working on, the sooner I can offer guidance...
See you all very soon (if not tomorrow)
Marc
Saturday, February 16, 2008
alternative radio
I've posted a number of shows from the great Alternative Radio series - all downloadable as MP3s - something to listen to during breakfast or before packing it in for the day.
Noam CHOMSKY - Propaganda and Control of the Public Mind - Part I
Noam CHOMSKY - Propaganda and Control of the Public Mind - Part II
Michael PARENTI - The Hidden Ideology of the Mass Media
Sut JHALLY - Media Coverage of the Middle East
Robert MCCHESNEY - Write What We Say, Not What We Do
Ben BAGDIKIAN - Media Concentration - Peril to Democracy
Norman SOLOMON - Orwellian Media
Enjoy
M
Noam CHOMSKY - Propaganda and Control of the Public Mind - Part I
Noam CHOMSKY - Propaganda and Control of the Public Mind - Part II
Michael PARENTI - The Hidden Ideology of the Mass Media
Sut JHALLY - Media Coverage of the Middle East
Robert MCCHESNEY - Write What We Say, Not What We Do
Ben BAGDIKIAN - Media Concentration - Peril to Democracy
Norman SOLOMON - Orwellian Media
Enjoy
M
Friday, February 15, 2008
crimethinc collective
A site of great interest:
Crimethinc. Ex-Workers' Collective
They are a decentralized anarchist collective composed of many cells... (sound familiar?)...
They host a great BLOG
and also offer a bunch of great downloads
Of note especially the DIY guides #1 + #2 which include useful tips for activists (distinct from those proposed in the Infiltration handout), the Civilian's Guide to Direct Action, Dropping Out (for students) and a great overview of the Seattle 1999 protests: N30...
Check them out!
M
Crimethinc. Ex-Workers' Collective
They are a decentralized anarchist collective composed of many cells... (sound familiar?)...
They host a great BLOG
and also offer a bunch of great downloads
Of note especially the DIY guides #1 + #2 which include useful tips for activists (distinct from those proposed in the Infiltration handout), the Civilian's Guide to Direct Action, Dropping Out (for students) and a great overview of the Seattle 1999 protests: N30...
Check them out!
M
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Bill Monroe
Meet Bill Monroe, totally bogus Facebook cyber entity that is 2 days old with already over 10 friends and rising. Everything I post is plagerized from other facebook pages. People send me messages I forward them to other random friends. I've stolen photos, interests, favourite quotes from friends of friends that leave open their pages. It's a blast! Things are always happening. I am suspicious that a few of my friends are like me, bogus manifests, others are just desperate, its a dark underbelly out there. I think maybe some people are strippers or marketing bots. Please don't add me to your real facebook account, I want to stay underground.
Project Ideas...
So I've been thinking a lot about my project and am pretty much still at the beginning stages. I've been going through the readings and have so far found them very inspiring. There's so much information and avenues out there to explore, I'm having trouble narrowing down the options.
Anyway, these are 2 ideas I'm playing with...
-launch an online viral marketing campaign to petition to stop the spread of spam
-take the words of a music/movie/book review from a critic and turn them into their respective artform, i.e... lyrics, a script, prose etc.
If anyone has any ideas to help me develop or expand on these further, feel free.
Anyway, these are 2 ideas I'm playing with...
-launch an online viral marketing campaign to petition to stop the spread of spam
-take the words of a music/movie/book review from a critic and turn them into their respective artform, i.e... lyrics, a script, prose etc.
If anyone has any ideas to help me develop or expand on these further, feel free.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
call for activism - Shisheido makes you a white girl!
This isn't necessarily for the class but if anyone could do me a favour and put some activism on the Shisheido "White Lucent" makeup ads in the subway, I'd really appreciate it. I can't hit them all. You could replace "Lucent" with "Power" for example.
I'm seeing an advertising trend that is increasingly less subtle, such as calling low-fat drinks "skinny drinks" (like at Second Cup), low-fat snacks "thins" (like Cadbury Thins) and, in this case, "brightening" skincare (if that's what care is, I guess) called "White Lucent". The danger with this kind of "blunt marketing" is that it implies that there's nothing problematic about the end goal (skinniness, whiteness, etc), which is a different approach than what's been used in the last several years - namely, disguising the end goal as something else (fitness, skin luminosity).
The product line claims to remove spots and "discoloration" using various vitamins and acids and mysterious "Asian plant extracts" (!). It's certainly not as bad as L'Oreal's "White Perfect" skin whitening line, which isn't marketed in Canada or the US, but it's not far off.
I can donate Sharpies to this cause.
I'm seeing an advertising trend that is increasingly less subtle, such as calling low-fat drinks "skinny drinks" (like at Second Cup), low-fat snacks "thins" (like Cadbury Thins) and, in this case, "brightening" skincare (if that's what care is, I guess) called "White Lucent". The danger with this kind of "blunt marketing" is that it implies that there's nothing problematic about the end goal (skinniness, whiteness, etc), which is a different approach than what's been used in the last several years - namely, disguising the end goal as something else (fitness, skin luminosity).
The product line claims to remove spots and "discoloration" using various vitamins and acids and mysterious "Asian plant extracts" (!). It's certainly not as bad as L'Oreal's "White Perfect" skin whitening line, which isn't marketed in Canada or the US, but it's not far off.
I can donate Sharpies to this cause.
When Activists Attack
Hey all,
So I've been toying with this idea of starting a group that reimburses companies that have suffered financial losses due to activists. It would be a company that stands behind big business, that believes that these companies have earned their millions (or billions) and should not be harassed because they are talented capitalists. This group would go around calculating how much certain companies have lost to certain activist groups and their actions and then tries to raise money to give back to the companies. One of the most important things about this is how exactly the money gets raised, and i think that this should depend on what company it is for and what group of activists damaged their evil money vacuum.
I am going to keep looking into this by checking out what big companies have reported losses which are directly as a result of activists. While searching I found this article. It speaks for itself.
http://www.continuitycentral.com/feature0174.htm
Cheers,
Simon
So I've been toying with this idea of starting a group that reimburses companies that have suffered financial losses due to activists. It would be a company that stands behind big business, that believes that these companies have earned their millions (or billions) and should not be harassed because they are talented capitalists. This group would go around calculating how much certain companies have lost to certain activist groups and their actions and then tries to raise money to give back to the companies. One of the most important things about this is how exactly the money gets raised, and i think that this should depend on what company it is for and what group of activists damaged their evil money vacuum.
I am going to keep looking into this by checking out what big companies have reported losses which are directly as a result of activists. While searching I found this article. It speaks for itself.
http://www.continuitycentral.com/feature0174.htm
Cheers,
Simon
Sunday, February 10, 2008
ART / NON-ART / ANTI-ART
A couple of sound art links pursuant to our conversation re. blurred boundaries between art / non-art / anti-art and the Allan Kaprow text The Education of the Un-Artist Parts I + III...
The Artaud is a notorious radio play putting the Theatre of Cruelty into action - this extreme, scatological enterprise was naturally banned at the time. Radical theatrics to the service of radical politics. The Cage Empty Words was a lecture delivered in 1977 in Italy, disrupted by young political radicals - here the highly radical work of an experimental artist is disrupted by political radicals (many useful contradictions here...). Whitehouse is a controversial UK band known for its "power electronics" - lyrics often adopt mysogynistic / racist perspectives in order to shock the listener into action (others have noted that WH tactics are often too convincing and not very ambiguous). Cage's comments about Branca's work are interesting - here is a radical artist known for his "openness" critiquing a musical work as a harbinger of fascism - can art itself be fascist? Finally, some excerpts from a get-together of the Church Universal and Triumphant (led by Clare Prophet), which employ theatrical / musical strategies to disseminate its disturbing, but very real message...
Lines are being crossed here... Please post other examples where the lines between art + life, art + politics are blurred...
(These links will soon be active...stay tuned)
Antonin ARTAUD - Pour en Finir avec le Jugement de Dieu (1948)
Opening text
Sound effects
John CAGE - Empty Words Part III (1977)
Parts3 + 4
WHITEHOUSE - New Britain (1982), Cruise (2000)
New Britain
Will to Power (from New Britain)
Cruise
John CAGE - Comments about Glenn Branca's Indeterminate Activity of Resultant Masses (1982)
CHURCH UNIVERSAL AND TRIUMPHANT - The Sounds of American Doomsday Cults (1984)
Invocation For Judgement Against and Destruction of Rock Music
Call for Protection
Decree
The Artaud is a notorious radio play putting the Theatre of Cruelty into action - this extreme, scatological enterprise was naturally banned at the time. Radical theatrics to the service of radical politics. The Cage Empty Words was a lecture delivered in 1977 in Italy, disrupted by young political radicals - here the highly radical work of an experimental artist is disrupted by political radicals (many useful contradictions here...). Whitehouse is a controversial UK band known for its "power electronics" - lyrics often adopt mysogynistic / racist perspectives in order to shock the listener into action (others have noted that WH tactics are often too convincing and not very ambiguous). Cage's comments about Branca's work are interesting - here is a radical artist known for his "openness" critiquing a musical work as a harbinger of fascism - can art itself be fascist? Finally, some excerpts from a get-together of the Church Universal and Triumphant (led by Clare Prophet), which employ theatrical / musical strategies to disseminate its disturbing, but very real message...
Lines are being crossed here... Please post other examples where the lines between art + life, art + politics are blurred...
(These links will soon be active...stay tuned)
Antonin ARTAUD - Pour en Finir avec le Jugement de Dieu (1948)
Opening text
Sound effects
John CAGE - Empty Words Part III (1977)
Parts3 + 4
WHITEHOUSE - New Britain (1982), Cruise (2000)
New Britain
Will to Power (from New Britain)
Cruise
John CAGE - Comments about Glenn Branca's Indeterminate Activity of Resultant Masses (1982)
CHURCH UNIVERSAL AND TRIUMPHANT - The Sounds of American Doomsday Cults (1984)
Invocation For Judgement Against and Destruction of Rock Music
Call for Protection
Decree
PLAGIARISM
A couple of really good links to texts on / around plagiarism, from the magnificent PhotoStatic archive:
Plagiarism issue
Cultural Property
Detournement issue
Copy culture
Festival of Plagiarism
Negativland case etc...
as well as the work of the
Copyright Violation Squad
all these are links to pages which contain PDF downloads of the various issues...
Plagiarism issue
Cultural Property
Detournement issue
Copy culture
Festival of Plagiarism
Negativland case etc...
as well as the work of the
Copyright Violation Squad
all these are links to pages which contain PDF downloads of the various issues...
Up and running...
The blog is up and running - I considered WordPress briefly, but I would have had to rely on - again - the shaky server here at school, so I quickly gave up on that idea... Let's see how far we can take this experiment.
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