The Arts Collective writes

The Arts Collective stands for the release of the poet out of the typist, the painter out of the handyman, the musician out of the radio presenter, the activist out of the bureaucrat. Artistic expression in a process of radical democratisation. Art in various forms from song to sculpture, from commentary to critique, from drawing to dance.

"Can the Subaltern Speak German?
On Postcolonial Critique"

Hito Steyerl (May, 2002)

The debate on cultural globalization also often involves so-called postcolonial
theory. What does this encompass? According to Ruth Frankenbert and Lata Mani
(1993, 292), postcolonialism refers to a specific "conjuncture" of social force
fields and a type of political positioning in relation to local conditions.
Geopolitical power gradients strongly influence these social relations. They
influence the emergence of certain subjectivities -- and thus also the
production of art and the formation of the aesthetic and cognitive categories
of its perception. Since global power relations structure living conditions all
over the world today, according to Frankenberg and Mani's definition the place
where postcolonial power relations are in effect, is therefore equally
ubiquitous. This place is neither outside social practices nor beyond the
borders of western societies, but is rather reproduced within them as a social
relationship of simultaneous inclusion and exclusion.

Bowman38 writes:

Hello everyone, The Soft Cage explores the hidden history of surveillance -- from controlling slaves in the old South to implementing early criminal justice, tracking immigrants, and closely monitoring the poor as part of modern social work. It also explores the role computers play in creating a whole new world of seemingly benign technologies -- such as credit cards, website "cookies", electronic toll collection, "data minings", and iris scanners at airports.

With fears of personal and national security at an all-time high, this ever-growing infrastucture of high-tech voyeurism is shifting the balance of power between individuals and the state in groundbreaking -- and very dangerous -- ways.

Mr. Parenti, author of Lockdown America, offers a compelling and vital history lesson for every American concerned about the expansion of surveillance into our public and private lives. I highly recommend it. Bowman38

Anonymous Comrade writes:

"It’s the “Gangs of New York” for real, or really playing… This weekend a crew of hardcore re-enactors will try to put on the Draft Riots of 1863 at the Richmondtown Restoration in Staten Island. The riot starts at 2pm, Saturday and Sunday.

Bureau of Public Secrets writes:
Brassens and the other post-World War II French singers are responsible for the greatest renaissance of song in modern times. . . . The great secret of Brassens is that he speaks for the total unassimilables with complete self-awareness. He knew that he and behind him his ever-growing following could not and never would be assimilated, and he knew why, and he said so in every song, whatever that song was about. With him the counterculture comes of age"
(Kenneth Rexroth, "Subversive Aspects of Popular Songs"). * * *

Anonymous Comrade writes:

Next5Minutes4
An International Festival of Tactical Media
September 11 - 14, 2003, Amsterdam
a report

by Snafu - 09/27/2003
from thing.net, http://bbs.thing.net/communicator.thing

As the curtain fell on the conclusive meeting of Next5Minutes4 (http://www.n5m.org) the feeling was widespread that tactical media (tm) are in the midst of fording a swift river. It is hard to say what tm will find on the other bank of the river because riding the currents of these precarious times already seems quite an engaging exercise. By definition, tactical media are unstable, in permanent crisis, malleable, and adaptable to mutating circumstances. Nevertheless, the previous edition of the festival which gave birth to tm and followed its early steps was held more than four years ago when two major global events were still to occur: 9-11 and the outbreak of the Seattle movement. Between these two, the collapse of the new economy undermined not only a business model but also a way of building sustainable networks and techno-social infrastructures.

"Alternative Economics, Alternative Societies"

A project by Oliver Ressler

Galerija Skuc, Ljubljana (SI)

Opening: Wednesday, 29 October, 8 p.m.

30 October - 29 November 2003

www.galerija.skuc-drustvo.si

After the loss of a countermodel for capitalism -- which socialism, in its real, existing form presented until its collapse -- alternative concepts for economic and social development face difficulties at the beginning of the twenty-first century. In the industrial nations "alternatives," are, namely, only broadly discussed when they do not question the existing power relations of the capitalist system and representative democracies. Other socio-economic approaches are, on the other hand, labeled utopian, devalued, and excluded from serious discussion if even considered at all.

"Work: An Exhibition"

António Júlio Duarte | Augusto Brázio | Daniel Malhão | Filipa César | Hugo Canoilas | Inês Gonçalves | Joana Pimentel | Paulo Catrica | Pedro Letria | Nuno Ribeiro

October 25 – January 11

Centro de Artes Visuais

Pátio da Inquisição, 10

Apartado 6026, 3000 Coimbra, Portugal

T. +00351 239 826178

Fax. +00351 239 820 154

Email: encontrosphoto@oninet.pt

The importance of work is measured by the meaning it has taken on in modern societies since the Industrial Revolution, to the point of shaping all aspects of daily life. The fact that we are today witnessing a transformation of the processes of work themselves, with the consolidation of services and the coming of the immaterial economy, makes this subject even more pressing.

TAC writes:

The Arts Collective is actively engaged for radical democratisation through artistic expression. The Arts Collective takes the side of the oppressed, the progressive and the voiceless.

robert mutt writes:

Announcing A Neo-Dada, Post-Surealistic, Found Art Object

"ARNOLD"
A Readymade for Our Time

Installed in the State of California, October 8, 2003
Artist: Robert Mutt

This found object, now installed in the State of California, represents a great leap forward in the cultural power of readymades. To say that you can directly connect the dots between Duchamp's Urinal and the new governor is to ignore seminal pieces of the lineage, which move from The Urinal to Joseph Beuys' piles of fat through the life-sized sculpture of Nancy Reagan made of Velveeta cheese, past Kac's glow-in-the-dark bunny and onto ARNOLD.