As a not-so-subtle reminder to the West that their nuclear program is here to stay, Iran recently released their new 50,000 rial banknote, complete with the nuclear insignia of electrons dancing around their atomic counterpart. [banknote detail]
Conceived in response to inflation, and, one would suppose, American hypocrisy, the new bill is worth about US$5.50, more than twice as much as Iran's previously most valuable banknote.
How will the West respond to this monetary reminder that Iran is a sovereign state? Surmising as to Britain's response, Stuart Jeffries of The Guardian perhaps has the most honest suggestion: "The new Adam Smith £20 note must be pulped immediately and replaced with one emblazoned with a Trident nuclear missile hovering over Tehran."
Now if only politicians spoke so candidly.
Posted by Rob Maguire on March 26, 2007 in
New York city graffiti artist AVONE was arrested on February 23. He is being held at the GMDC ward at Riker's Island. Supporters are trying to raise $4,000 bail to set him free while awaiting his trial.
While creating on an alley wall in Greenwich Village, he was tackled by two apparent locals who wrestled him to the ground. According to AVONE, a passing police cruiser stopped and arrested him on the spot with few questions.
This isn’t the first time AVONE has come up against the anti-graffiti forces of NYC. He is considered by some to be number one of the most wanted graffiti writers of New York, which might explain why there were so few questions asked by the police at the time of his arrest.
While AVONE is working with his attorney to get probation, supporters at the
Graffiti Research Lab are trying to raise bail money to set him free. To make a donation or for more information go here.
To see some of AVONE’s work, go here.
Ironically, also last month, a billboard went up at Bleecker and Lafayette in nearby NoHo using the artwork of graffiti artist Neck Face to sell skateboard clothing and shoes. A few years ago, Neck Face caused a ruckus by prolifically tagging his name and distinctive work on New York walls, street signs and mailboxes. His work quickly went mainstream. He was celebrated in the New Yorker and had gallery shows in London and Los Angeles. Now, he’s on billboards. AVONE’s crime, painting an alley wall, seems so much less a crime than a giant corporate billboard selling mass produced sneakers -- talk about a trespass of public space.
Maybe Neck Face will pony up the bail money for AVONE, if anyone knows how to reach him.
To see the Neck Face billboard, go here.
Posted by Michael Lithgow on March 26, 2007 in
This weekend I was one of a small group of fortunate people who attended the Governor General Awards in Visual and Media Arts at Rideau Hall in Canada's capital city of Ottawa. It is without doubt one of the strangest spaces I have inhabited. The evening started off in an ornate and expansive room with thirty foot vaulted ceilings, large chandeliers, a string quartet, and chairs arranged for the guests to view the award ceremony. The GG, her husband, and the eight award winners sat on modest plush chairs facing the audience, and each award was presented by the winner's nominator, followed by short acceptance speeches, and two addresses from their excellencies. I had real trouble with the whole "your excellency" lingo, and fumbled a bit when I first met the GG, who was elegant, charming, and almost unnaturally attentive considering how many people were constantly approaching her throughout the night.
Michaëlle Jean has had some big shoes to fill after Canada's last GG, Adrienne Clarkson, gave the title some real meaning by committing so heavily to boost, support, and connect the arts and cultural communities in Canada. The new GG seems to be doing a great job, and if personal impressions are anything to go off, I'd say that Canada's new GG will be supportive of political art too. In fact, politics were definitely present at the awards ceremony, whether it was in the description of some of the more political artists life work such as Daphne Odjig, or whether it was jabs by speakers directed at the much-deserving Harper aministration - Canada's very own arts-bashing Bush.
FULL STORY + COMMENTS
Posted by Ezra Winton on March 25, 2007 in
Have you ever wanted to photocopy your fanny while saving the world? Well now you can, thanks to Turn It All Off, an energy savings game brought to you by the 1E Energy Awareness Campaign. Designed to relieve the boredom of corporate cubicle dwellers, the objective of Turn It All Off is to... well, it's pretty damn obvious.
The game relieves the tedium of otherwise uninspiring environmental responsibility by throwing in puzzles, surprises, a funky organ soundtrack, and the evil twin of The Flash who can't seem to kick his carbon-based fuel cravings.
Having sat through one of Al Gore's evangelical powerpoint presentations last night, this spritely game is incredibly refreshing, if not cathartic. Many thanks to Water Cooler Games, who taught me that the sleepy worker in the first level can be bribed away from her idle PC with a fresh pot of coffee. Let's just hope the beans are fair trade.
Posted by Rob Maguire on March 23, 2007 in
A letter from Joe at Radio Diaries arrived in our inbox late last night:
Dear Friends of Radio Diaries,
I'm writing to you from South Africa where we are on the last leg of Thembi's AIDS Diary tour. I had not planned to send an email update, as most of you live in the US. But our two week tour of this country with Thembi and Melikhaya (Thembi's boyfriend) has turned into the most valuable thing Radio Diaries has ever done. Thembi has talked to thousands of people - in person and over the airwaves - from a high school in Soweto, to Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, to a clinic in a squatter camp on a former municipal dump, to a small village with no electricity or running water.
Thembi has been giving out her cell phone number in radio interviews and at events, and dozens of people have been calling her everyday - a woman looking for the nearest clinic, a young girl wanting to know how long she should stay a virgin. Thembi has become the host of her own cell phone call-in show.
Please see Thembi's blog. It is amazing. There you will also find info about our final Cape Town events, and hear Thembi's AIDS Diary entries.
As always, thanks for listening,
,
Radio Diaries is a not-for-profit organization
Posted by Ezra Winton on March 16, 2007 in
Edgy Women features a diverse programme of cutting edge work which is both experimental and engaging, providing an excellent opportunity to experience content-driven artwork by women.
FULL STORY + COMMENTS
Posted by Mél Hogan on March 8, 2007 in
Hankering for evasive debate? Political meandering? Slanderous scoffing? Well, check out Ann Douglas' homemade, not for the faint of heart, or for the straight of speaking, but definitely tongue in cheek game poking fun at Canadian House of Commons procedures.
You and your friends can partake in this easy-to-make game (apparently, all you need are coloured post-its and periwinkles) of posturing politics and name calling in your own kitchen on a Saturday night. Get the full effect in her flickr photo close up of the game. The added value of this Canadian-made game is the extra point features, by adding nation-wide loves such as hockey, or if you can scandalize Stéphane Dion.
Posted by Aisling Chin-Yee on February 21, 2007 in
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