When you go to the website for Berlin’s 7th Biennale, you encounter a stream of changing photographs from occupy and protest movements from around the world — Venezia, Toronto, Florence, Malacky, Athens and on and on. It is emblematic of curator Artur Zmijewski’s approach the largest art exhibition in Germany, which opened on April 27.
In the forward to Forget Fear, the accompanying publication of the Berlin’s 7th Biennale, Zmijewski explains that “Art needs to be reinvented, but not as some crafty option to aesthecize human problems of the impoverished majority. What we need is more art that offers its tools, time and resources to solve the economic problems of the impoverished majority. For the actual limit to the possibilities of left-meaning art is effective engagement with material issues: unemployment, impoverishment, poverty.”
Zmijewski wants to transform the art of impotence and individualist survival, which is how he describes contemporary art markets and the institutionalized art world of galleries and curatorial careers, into art that is “genuinely transformative and formative”, art that “practices politics”, and art that is “real action in the real world and [that bids] a final farewell to the illusion of artistic immunity”.
Over the coming weeks, Art Threat will be profiling some of the artists and their contributions to the 7th Berlin Biennale (which runs until July 1), and some of the events that will be happening in Berlin in the coming months. In today’s report, quick look at two upcoming events: a workshop for using art in political protest, and a performance installation that features interviews with 16 economists, historians, thinkers from around the world speaking on viable economic alternatives to capitalism.
Al Jazeera’s Artscape presents a wonderful short documentary on Abeer Soliman, an Egyptian storyteller and performance artist whose work changed after the uprising.
Portrait of artist Shahrzad Arshadi by Thien V (Montreal, March 2012).
It Is Only Sound That Remains is a sound theatre performance by artist Shahrzad Arshadi, meditating on the life and death of Ziba Kazemi, also known as Zahra Kazemi.
The story of Kazemi’s 2003 death in Iran, the ensuing Canada-Iran diplomatic fallout and the ongoing struggle for justice in the case, led by Kazemi’s son Stephan Hachemi, is relatively well known in Canada.
Kazemi was arrested for taking photographs at a student protest outside Evin Prison in Tehran, a major jail for political prisoners in Iran.
Artist Ai Wei Wei has installed live webcams in his home so that authorities – and worried supporters – can keep track of his day-to-day whereabouts and welfare. Feeling hemmed in by increasingly invasive state surveillance – being followed day-to-day, round-the-clock surveillance on his home, searches of his studio, phone taps, opening his mail — Wei Wei decided to go the extra step and demonstrate that he has no secrets, despite the Chinese government’s persistent paranoia.
Wei Wei was detained last April for 81 days amid Chinese fears of political dissidence in the wake of Arab Spring uprisings. He was charged with tax evasion, a charge supporters say was politically motivated. His fines were paid by friends and supporters. Perhaps most controversially, he questioned the government’s role in poor construction standards after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake killed more than 5,000 schoolchildren because buildings collapsed. In November last year, officials demolished his studio in Shanghai.
For those who haven’t seen it, Big Bang Big Boom (2010) is yet another fabulous animated graffiti parable from the Blu art collective. Their work is endlessly fascinating — animated creatures sliding seamlessly from walls, through sand, along pipes and under bridges into stop-motion interaction with beach garbage and industrial debris. A mesmerizing allegory for the stupidity of creatures risen from the mud and muck of earth unable to resist the temptation to destroy each other and the whole planet. It is beautiful, creepy, and dizzyingly inventive. Enjoy.
Tune in, turn on and give a few bucks to one the most fabulous radio stations anywhere. WWOZ New Orleans community radio is having their annual membership fundraising drive, and now is the time to support this treasure in the midst of New Orlean’s cultural renaissance.
WWOZ is home to the New Orleans sound, old and new, including New Orleans jazz, Second Lines, Mardis Gras Indians, Pleasure Clubs, brass bands, gospel, dixieland, blues, calliope and more more more. All from the humble efforts of community volunteers, local musicians and donations from listeners.
WWOZ is a bright light in this beleaguered city, and the sounds they share warm hearts and souls all over the world.
Check it out (you can stream live here), and if you like what you hear, support local independent radio.
Back in January I posted an article highlighting a video about Sue Coe’s art that was produced by Our Hen House, a “Multimedia hub for people who want to change the world for animals.” Jasmin Singer, one of the founders of Our Hen House, immediately stood out as someone who was not only passionate about animals, but who was passionate and knowledgable about the artists whose work creates discourse on diet, lifestyle, and, for you yogis out there, the practice of ahimsa (non harming, or the avoidance of violence).
Her work in curating these artworks inspired me to ask her more about her experience, why she does what she does, and how Our Hen House is affecting its audience.
Art Threat: To start, can you tell me a bit about Our Hen House, and what you do?
Jasmin Singer: Our Hen House is a multimedia hub of opportunities for people who want to change the world for animals. Every day, we highlight a story or idea for getting involved with this kind of change, focusing on how everyone can use their own talents and skills to mainstream the movement to end animal exploitation.
Montreal artists are invited to join the growing collaboration of the Occupy Arts Committee, a gathering of artists from all disciplines who want to support Occupy Montreal with creative practice.
According to organizers, this meeting will be a creation workshop to start imagining, painting & drawing … Artists are encouraged to bring material, art supplies, paint & brushes, etc…. and to think YELLOW.
March 17, 2012 Café l’Artère, 7000 ave. Du Parc (métro Parc). 14h / 2pm
New York’s prestigious Armory Show opens on March 8th at Piers 92 & 94. The Armory Show started in 1913, amid the challenges and excitement of early 20th century avant-garde art and artists intent on denouncing the status quo. Today, the Armory Show is the status quo — art for the 1%, according to Occupy Museums who are organizing an art exchange for the 99% at the same place at the same time.
On March 10th and 11th, Occupy Museums is inviting all artists in New York to join their free art exchange in front of the Armory. Booths for artists will be free of charge. From the website:
We offer an experiment in systems of art-exchange that do not emphasize financial capital, but rather celebrate abundance and connection. We believe that art is not a commodity for speculation but rather a fundamental part of the commons, inherited and shared by all. We invite all the 100,000+ artists in New York City to join us outside of Piers 92 and 94 to engage in a new kind of art market. Click to continue »
"Beat Nation(by Corey Bulpitt)" at Grunt Gallery, Vancouver
Calling young (aged 16-19) Canadian political artists. Here’s a chance to get your work noticed, publicized and into the National Gallery of Canada (NGC).
The NGC has announced its second annual So You Want to Be an Artist contest. It’s a cheezey title, but an opportunity for young artists to get some work in the gallery and maybe a little public approbation.
Submissions are posted online. The public selects a shortlist of 12 entries through online voting (the shortlisted entries will be shown in the National Gallery). A jury selects a winner.
Deadline March 18, 2012.
Tell your (young) friends and spread the word. For more info go to the contest website.
Contributors
Stefan Christoff, Colin Horgan, Julia Pyper
Michelle Siobhan Reid, Valerie Cardinal, Race Capet
Laurence Miall, Terry Fairman, Tyler Morgenstern
