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Homage to an old teacher

Why Interventions? Why Now?
As creatives, we feel like our art may as well shake things up, break the bleak, and wake people up a bit. By merging artful presentation with activist leanings, we're helping create a new language, new symbols, new understanding.

Another way to voice opinion in the public realm is good ol' fashioned letters to the editor. I'm reminded of this while reading recent Evergreen Trivia from olyblog.net
>>>>>
The letters to the editor section of The Cooper Point Journal can tell you a lot about the College. [Evergreen State College] There are two letters from 1976 I think deserve special attention. Here's the first one, from Apr. 29:
"To the Editor:
BRRRAAAAKK BUK BUK BRRRAAAKKK!!!!!
Thank you,
Friends of the Coop."

The second letter was by faculty member Craig Carlson, Oct. 7. Why he wrote it isn't really important, since I think it can stand by itself without any explanation:

"To the Editor:
I never said 'Everything is everything.' What I said was, 'The only reality is the transition of one's ideas into rhythm and beautiful movements.'
Craig Carlson."
<<<<<<<
Though he's unfortunately no longer with us, Craig Carlson was a teacher of mine at Evergreen. And he still is. The reality he speaks of so hilariously and eloquently resonates with the work of PSA today, as we transition from our ideas into a beautiful movement. Craig taught writing and poetry, and opened his class asking us all to question "Why Rumi? Why now?"

Free Art History!!!!

In the spirit of Red76, we decided to spread a little postive art propaganda! We're posting these in cafes, laundromats, and any community bulletin boards we feel need more than the typical flyers for pet groomers, yoga classes, etc...

Since PSA is made up of women artists, we decided to start our free art history lessons with two female artists who are a part of our family tree so to speak.

The first, Mary Cassatt, may seem conventional to our eyes in 2006, but her portrayal of women and children going about their daily activities was actually quite revolutionary in her day. Mary portrayed women at the theatre, doing laundry, out boating, etc... Cassatt was quite independent: she lived alone in Paris even though she was American, she never married, and she held her own with many of the male Impressionists.

The second, Kathe Kollwitz, has inspired countless political movements to incorporate art and propaganda. Her posters, drawings and prints of those affected by war, hunger, poverty, and sorrow, communicate despite the lack of text. It is easy to see her influence, even if it is unconscious, on movements like the Black Panther Party. She integrated her art, politics, and life seamlessly, as she saw her purpose as making art to effect change in society.

New News

My favorite detail on this new newspaper is to the left; very small, blackened text that now reads "To entice more to stay, the Army is offering new incentives this year, including a promise of d e A t h. Other enticements include the choice of p a i n."

My Father, drafted back in the day, told me the story about how in training they were required to shout "kill! kill! kill! kill!" while practicing hand to hand combat. My Dad, ever the pacifist, instead would yell "bill! will! hill! mill!" and other things that rhymed with kill. To today's recruiters, I say: Love! Peace! Bliss! Joy!

war=deception

So, war is nothing new. For thousands of years humans have resorted to war to solve problems, boost economies, overthrow dictators, take over more land. At this very moment, countries across the globe are waging wars- both on a large and small scale. So as a country at war (a war which remains a contentious and highly debated conflict over three years into it) the question is, when is war just? Is it ever justified? Do we wage war to stop something as awful as genocide? Or does more violence beget more violence?

Sun Tzu, who was actually a Chinese general that lived in 6th century BC, wrote The Art of War. He is quoted as saying, "All war is deception." These words may show his personal war-making philosophy, but we've chosen to appropriate his words, take them out of context, and use them as food for thought. Start thinking about war...about the war we are in, as well as the wars going on internationally, and then start discussing...



For more on Sun Tzu

PSA at work generating interventions

We've been producing visual interventions collectively using a Gocco printer, tree-free napkins, paper bags, and newspapers...

Here we are hard at work...

Ling-chi Wang flyer at Gaylord's in Oakland

Umm...so it's hard to see, but I did stick a stack of these flyers honoring Ling-chi Wang here among the stacks of other flyers, publications, etc.

PostSecret

As we talk about about interventions...art making that moves within communities and has an effect..and so on, I think that the blog Post Secret is great spot to view community based moments of creativity that are small but really effective & profound...

It's updated every week:
postsecret.blogspot.com

Check out postsecret.blogspot.com here

hello... blogging!

ok then, psa members and groupies, welcome to our scrapbook of interventions, actions, and sneakiness. Obeisance to the commotion-causers! Let the games begin... ;)