Tag: city

Firstly Welcome to my 1st blog post!!! Yay! I wanted to launch this Blog as part of Occupy Art a world wide art movement. Which is why it is fitting for the first post to be about Melbournes own Occupy ART movement.

So I am really excited about the Occupy ART movemnt today in Melbourne, below are the details…

SOCIETY IS A WORK OF ART. BE PART OF (RE)CREATING IT.

Date: Sunday 12th February

Location: City Square, Melbourne

Time: Noon to 3pm

Loose theme: Public Space. Is it really Public?

SOCIETY IS A WORK OF ART. BE PART OF (RE)CREATING IT.

Proposal.

An invite. An offer. A proposal.

A group of artists have proposed the below as a way of commenting on the Occupy Movement. This is part of the larger Occupy Art – International Day of Creative Action (#F12), that is happening in other cities around Australia and the world on February 12th.

All artists are welcome and encouraged to contribute any project they feel engages with the themes

We have also created frameworks for artists to contribute/collaborate/engage with. Please see below.

We hope that through collaboration and organisation, we will create a larger impact.

1. Chairs

Artists, bring a chair.

= A collection of chairs in City Square.

This is an echo of other artist actions such as the protest against Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei's recent imprisonment. German artist Joseph Beuys notably used chairs in his work. Inventor of the concept of 'Social Sculpture', Beuys regarded all of society as a Work of Art and everyone in it as capable of contributing creatively to its evolution.

Please bring a chair, not a couch or a milk crate.

2. Public Space as Studio Space:

Use city square as your own studio. Bring something you are working on?

(A chair will probably become practical here too!)

Artists will also be installing & performing works in the space. Please feel free to do this too.

3. (Non)-Official Lanyards & Name Badges:

Mock lanyards will be provided to artists so we seem "official".

“Member of the Public” badges will be given out to members of the public.

Nathan Gray is working on this.

4. Balloons Occupying Space:

As an evolving performance and installation, balloons will be blown up continuously during the three hours and tied together to represent one mass of occupied space. Participating artists and members of the public will have the option of contributing their lungs to this activity. Alex Desebrock is managing this.

5. Tiny Protestors: Public Space and Scale

You know those little figurines we all have that you get in Kinder surprises or Christmas crackers? Make a protest sign for it to hold and we will make a tiny protestor assembly in one square of City Square. This will be a great photo op for passers by. Idea inspired by this creative action in Siberia.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/26/doll-protesters-problem-russian-police?newsfeed=true

Is this illegal?

In the strictest terms, yes. As we will be doing it without a permit.

However, we believe that if the work is creative, interactive and clever that the police will be unwilling to move us on, let alone arrest anyone.

Because, let’s be honest, if this was part of Moomba or a wedding – it wouldn’t be considered a problem at all….

We do suggest, however ,that works be kept mobile so that if confronted by authorities you can simply move on. Similarly, we suggest no tents, stalls, tables are erected as there has already been a history of these being removed from City Square.

Artists involved so far: Briony Barr, Nathan Gray, Alex Desebrock, Tim Denton, Tony Adams, Grayden Shelley, Sam Petersen, Lauren Simmonds, Conor Fox, Dylan Matorell, Charlie Sofo, Dell Stewart.

There is a facebook group you can also link into if you wish:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/209675442457905/

This has examples of work & discussion. Feel free to join in.

We hope to see you there!

X Artist’s Occupy Melbourne

via Art + Occupy (Melbourne)