6 Months of OWS: Time for Theoretical & Practical Assessments

Marxist-Humanist Initiative invites you to participate in a discussion
Friday March 23, 7:00-9:00p.m.

6 Months of OWS: Time for Theoretical & Practical Assessments

Members of MHI and students and activists organizing within OWS will
lead off an open discussion about what Occupy Wall Street has
accomplished, what it has not, and whether its direction might
instigate a reorganization of society. We will emphasize the theories—
explicit and implicit—on which OWS has been based, examining some
ideas advanced by David Graeber, Marina Sitrin, Rick Wolff, and other
popular speakers, as well as its practice in relation to working class
and other struggles.

Is OWS anti-capitalist because it adds "capitalism" to the list of
evils in the world? Is every left movement doomed to replicate the
separation between thought and activity that characterizes life under
capitalism? These questions and more will be addressed as we attempt
an evaluation that is largely absent within the OWS movement itself.
All are welcome to participate.

At TRS Inc. Professional Suite, 44 East 32nd Street, 11th floor
(between Madison and Park Avenues, Manhattan). Contribution voluntary.

www.marxisthumanistinitiative.org

Illustration by Paul McLean

OWS M21 Union Square: Parks Dept (PEP) Disrupts Peaceful Protest

By nothingofficial [Liza Bear] on Mar 21, 2012

New York City, March 21--This afternoon, in yet another crackdown on peaceful assembly in Union Square, the PEP (Parks Enforcement Personnel, who answer to the Parks Dept), backed up by a raft of NYPD officers, remove cardboard signs from the sidewalk and, according to several protesters, throw them into a dumpster on wheels. NB The New York Historical Museum won't be able to archive these as they did the signs from Zuccotti. This is after protesters have been told that the sidewalk or the south plaza are not subject to the same regulations as the interior of the park. {A fashion designer, however, develops an ingenious counteroffensive). Union Square, which has a long history of protest, rallies and peaceful assemblies, has been home base for many OWS activists since the night of March 17, when protesters were forcibly removed from Liberty Square, an use of force which resulted in several documented injuries and at least 73 arrests. Filmed by Squaring Off. Okay to repost this video in its entirety; press inquiries for excerpts, please contact me via You Tube. PS this was shot with a Canon Powershot A640 as the Sony HC90 I've been using for 5 years is in the repair shop--again. That means: camera repair expenses!!! If you've been watching this channel and would like to help cover those expenses, OR HAVE A SPARE, MORE MODERN CAMERA, please contact me via YouTube also. Thank you.



Tonight: Art v. OWS

Date + time: March 21, 8pm
Location: Flux Factory, 39-31 29th Street, Long Island City

Flux Factory is pleased to present Flux Death Match, a new initiative that takes online debates into real-space at the Flux gallery. Conceived as lively discussions between influential members of the art, tech, and political communities, panelists will illustrate their points with slides, web references, and other materials in a rapid-fire way that will challenge convictions on critical issues.

In this first Flux Death Match, art critics Paddy Johnson of Art Fag City and Hrag Vartanian of Hyperallergic and artists John Powers and William Powhida will face off in a heated debate. The panelists will argue over the strategies artists use to engage with the Occupy Wall Street movement and confront the concentration of wealth and power within the art world. Johnson and Powers have a history of online skirmishes, most recently a Twitter debate that resulted in an 18 part discussion posted to YouTube on the merits of the recent ArtPrize city-wide competition in Grand Rapids, MI. Vartanian and Powhida have traded barbs publicly, both in person and through various online platforms; their epic disagreements have undoubtedly shaped the discourse surrounding the NYC art scene.

Click to read more ...

WS2MS: Video by Taha Awadallah

Masters on Main Street is hosting a dynamic art project linking Occupy Wall Street and the world, via the small town of Catskill, NY. Main Street's vacant storefronts come alive with over 50 visual art and design exhibits, performances, workshops and panel discussions from the opening date on March 17 through May 31st.

Wall Street to Main Street is a collaborative presentation working with individual artists, curators and organizers from the Occupy Wall Street Arts and Culture Working Group. The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement has focused its energy on justice for the 99%. Wall Street to Main Street, a project facilitated by Occupy With Art, offers a platform for creative expression and dialogue focusing attention on a struggling community through a ten-week festival of experiences designed to engage, educate and inspire.

InterOccupy Arts Call [#3/21]

Spring Resurgence: A Season of Resistance!

InterOccupy Arts Call | Wed March 21 | 10pm Eastern/7pm Pacific 

As Occupy and 'The 99%' movement comes through its first winter, a historic amount of beautiful resistance and transformation is ready to burst onto the scene! Join this call to connect with artists and organizers from a range of actions and projects about to bloom. Come ready to hear and share exciting projects to cultivate and multiply your own! 

Register for the call

Presentations:

• National Trainings and Direct Actions | 99% Spring; Joy Cushman - New Organizing Institute
•  Strategic Arts Organizing|  modules from a new guidebook; Dave Mitchell - "Beautiful Trouble" co-editor
•  Occupy Their Homes | Shareholder Spring; Ben Master - United NY
•  The Commons are Everywhere | Occupy Town Square; Lucky - OWS Town Squares affinity group
• ...and more to be announced soon!

There will be breakouts sessions where we will all have a chance to discuss and share plans to make our spring stronger, and continue to build the occupy movement. 

If you have never registered for one of these calls, register here (we recommend doing it now, as last minute registrations don't always work). 

• http://myaccount.maestroconference.com/conference/register/IVA91224TZC71GD2
• http://interoccupy.org/natartscall/
• Find us on Facebook!

===================================================

• NOTES from the last "Open Dialogue" Interoccupy Arts Call: http://interoccupy.org/minutes-national-arts-call-2812/
• JOIN the National InterOccupy Art Google Group: https://groups.google.com/group/national-occupy-art?hl=en



Radical Ice Cream Social

Boycott Whitney

The WS2MS Message [online]

Check out the online version of the Wall Street to Main Street Message (in aXmag Flash format), by clicking the image above.

To download the Message (for free), click HERE.

Or check it here, with Google's help.

WS2MS Opening day [& evening] pictures!

Mark Skwarek performs augmented reality (AR) at WS2MS (Photo: Paul McLean)

PHOTOS

• GCCA Album on Picasa 
• OwA photo gallery or on Flickr

Claudia McNulty, "False Flag"

Wall Street to Main Street Launches March 17, Saturday!

Come join us, for the opening day tour and evening reception for the 10-week art festival "Wall Street to Main Street," Saturday, March 17 in Catskill, NY, featuring over fifty exhibitors, performances, workshops and seminars exploring solutions to social injustice, real-world economic problems, fundamental democratic processes, environmental challenges and the urgent need for systemic reform!

• MARCH 17-MAY 31, 2012
• Opening Saturday, March 17 from 2-5 PM
• Main Street, Catskill, NY
• Party 5-8PM at Brik Gallery (473 Main St.)

Wall Street to Main Street (WS2MS) is a collaboration of artists, writers and curators from the Hudson Valley, and Occupy with Art (www.occupywithart.com), an affinity group of the NYC General Assembly for Occupy Wall Street, and the Arts & Culture Working Group. 

[Calendar: Click image to download at the Greene Arts website]

Pick up a map and calendar of events at Catskill Gallery (398 Main Street, Catskill, NY 12414)

CONTACT: (518) 943-3400

LINKS:

• www.greenearts.org
• www.occupywithart.com [see WS2MS sections in "Active Projects & Proposals" in our site's right sidebar for an introduction to the production, press releases, supporting texts, project narratives, meeting minutes, and much more]
• Calendar of Events
• Facebook Event Page
• Facebook Photo Album at OwA
• WLHV interview with Fawn Potash

This project would not be possible without the support of the Catskill Arts Initiative.  Thank you to Catskill's generous building owners, merchants, the Village of Catskill, artists and neighbors.  Immense thanks to The Hudson Valley's best digital printers, Frank Cuthbert, BRIK Gallery, Richard Edelman for Woodstock Graphics Studio, Chad Kleitsch Rhinecliff Printing Studio, Danette Koke Fine Art, Gilbert Plantinga Photo Graphics.  Thanks to the hardworking Jane Toby, Jenjoy Roybal, Ruth Leonard, Taha Adawallah and Paul Smart. Endless gratitude to interns, Chris Lannes, Sarah Brady and Kathleen Menzer. The "It Takes a Village" prize goes to Pat Ruck, Laura Morgan, Nina Skylansky and David Chmura.  We are grateful for a grant from the Art Is My Occupation fund to support artists and curators’ travel. 

Jim Krewson Timeline

Extra special thanks to the Wall Street to Main Street curators Geno Rodriguez, Paul McLean, Fawn Potash, Kate Menconeri, Jacqueline Weaver, Imani Brown, Boo Lynn Walsh, Sam Truitt and Arthur Polendo.



Update on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at 10:55AM by admin

Thanks to all the artists & co-ordinators for making this great Occupy art event possible!

FREE SPEECH

The Brooklyn Rail presents "Free Speech: A Literary Celebration" with Jason Flores-Williams, Mark Read, Ted Hamm and special guests. Fri 3/16 12:30 pm, Zuccotti Park

Tweet

Come to “Free Speech: A Lit Event” w/ Jason Flores-Williams, Mark Read, Ted Hamm and special guests. Fri 3/16 12:30 pm, Zuccotti Park

Bios:

• -Jason Flores-Williams is a writer and criminal defense attorney. His story “The Battle of the Open Heart” is an OWS classic.
• -Mark Read is an activist, educator, and the artist who coordinated the "99% Bat Signal" that has inspired Occupiers everywhere.
• -Ted Hamm is editor of the Brooklyn Rail.

[The short essay I wrote for this is HERE - Paul]

& More on The Rail's Free Speech Weekend menu! >

SUNDAY, MARCH 18 AT 10 AM @ LEFT FORUM:

THE FUTURE OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT IN NEW YORK CITY

A panel discussion with the NYCLU's Donna Lieberman, civil rights lawyer Norman Siegel, and Brooklyn College professor Alex Vitale. Moderated by the Rail's Ted Hamm.

More on Left Forum (3-16/-18 @Pace) is HERE.

Obey the Giants of History - Or create new ones in your own head

Greetings,
 
My name's David John Beesley, a political Artist from London, England. I'm a friend of Paul Stewart, the guy from Goldmith's who was involved in Low Lives Occupy last night [#m3], Holding Knowledge Hostage.
 
I have also been accepted onto the Masters at Goldsmith's and plan to work in conjunction with Occupy.
 
I would lke to add some paintings to your site.
 
Thanks.



BAAAAA! We Love Things Just the Way They Are

[From Doug]:

Hi,

I've written a song that satirizes how gullible people are about the things they're told by the 1% and their lackeys. See http://youtu.be/If95JCWEd_s

A chorus of sheep sings:

Baaaaa! Join us! join us! join us!

Maaaaa! Come and join the herd

Join us as we bleat together

We love things just the way they are

I have the feeling it would be fun for people to sing this together, possibly publicly. So I've separated out the backing track and made it available for free download at http://alonetone.com/dougsimple/tracks for people to use however they like.

The lyrics are also on the site. (http://alonetone.com/dougsimple/tracks/baaaaa-occupy-version) But I hope people will want to make and perform new verses as befits their local situation. The thing to keep in mind is, it's only funny if the sheep are naiively praising things that clearly aren't in their interest, "we love things just the way they are." If the sheep become aware of the irony in what they're saying, it loses its bite.

Imagine a chorus of people singing Baaaaa! wearing sheep noses!

WS2MS: Zuccotti Everywhere

WS2MS: Mark Skwarek to Launch "King's Boat!"

[From Mark]

so... I'm kind of in the boat..
screen capture
but I have perfected the technology and will skipper a much larger boat at my upcoming Wall st to Main St show in Catskill NY- "the King's Boat" http://thekingsboat.blogspot.com/

Click to read more ...

WS2MS: Occupy Books

[From Sam Truitt]

LAPSED LOGIC: Solo Exhibit by Ingrid Burrington @SO@H [#m10]

Click to read more ...

The Civilians Occupy Your Mind/Low Lives 4: Occupy! [#m3]

Ana from LA performs Manissa from New York in The Civilians Occupy Your Mind/Low Lives 4: Occupy! Event on March 3rd.

OPEN CALL from The Civilians/Occupy Your Mind:

[via Morgan]

Dear Occupiers,

We at The Civilians create work based upon interviews taken from real people who find themselves in a particular political or social circumstance of controversy or interest.  Over the past several months we've been interviewing people involved in the Occupy Wall Street movement.  With these interviews we’ve held two cabaret-type performances in Joe's Pub at The Public Theater in NYC.

Now we are getting everyone involved! Watch what people have already done here.

Click to read more ...

revTALKS: Ezequiel Adamovsky - (SO@H), MAR8 7-8pm

Ezequiel Adamovsky (from Argentina): experience comes from the extraordinarily radical process that the Argentinians went through during their crisis. Their political system was more or less paralyzed and was seen as irrelevant, and people's GAs sprang up all over the country. He was heavily involved in the “Asambleas” movement (a grassroots phenomenon emerging in Argentina after the Rebellion of 2001), and he is involved in a number of collectives of global resistance and the World Social Forum.

His recent book (May 2011) entitled Anti-Capitalism Adamovsky tells the story of the long-standing effort to build a better world, one without an abusive system at its heart. Backed up by arresting, lucid images from the radical artist group United Illustrators, Adamovsky details the struggle against rising corporate power, as that struggle unfolds in the halls of academia, in the pages of radical newspapers, and in the jungles and the streets. From Marx through the Battle of Seattle and beyond, Adamovsky traces the beliefs and politics of the major figures in the anticapitalist tradition and explores modern experiments in building different ways of living, in the process providing an indispensible primer for anyone interested in finding alternatives to the so-called "best system we have"—and anyone interested in joining the fight.

revTALKS

• revtalks.org
• https://twitter.com/#!/RevTalks
• www.facebook.com/RevTalks
• www.livestream.com/revtalks (watch online)

SPATIAL OCCUPATION @HYPERALLERGIC

• spatial-occupation.tumblr.com
• hyperallergic.com

RSVP: ows-arts-and-culture-spaces@googlegroups.com

Thursday, March 8 7-8PM

Hyperallergic HQ:
181 N 11th St #302
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Click to read more ...