indymedia MAMOMAD event- 2 days time

is it in oxford??

indymedia SOCIAL event

rapid changes have happened in the world over the last few years, the events in seattle in november 1999 were the turning point;

the world political landscape was changed forever by the organised NETWORK based groups coming together to oppose unhealthy social, economic, political systems. this was also the time that INDYMEDIA came into existence.

from then things have spread;

more and more people are firstly starting to realise something is wrong

then people are starting to DO things to oppose these unfair systems

there is still one huge area that could be used alongside the existing methods of change- using the art world..

most people today think "art is bollocks". who goes into galleries, who uses them, why do they go in

i work in the world of architecture and art, and for the most part dislike these worlds; i feel they have no VISION at the moment, are arrogant, pretentious, and stuck up their own arse.

hopefully this will change, in time it will, but what forces will bring this change?

art galleries are nothing more than COMMUNICATION SPACES, at present they normally house stuff, people view it, react (sometimes), and leave it. i normally go into galleries in the hope of seeing somethings amazing, something that makes me go "wow thats amazing, i want to get involved with that" but it never happens, at most its "thats a bit interesting". this is a sad state of affairs.

but why not change this, why dont the rapidly growing worldwide body of those opposing the unhealthy side of globalisation, maximinse whats there and use all available resources, materials, spaces, ideas, systems to make this world more peaceful and sustainable....

GLOBAL NETWORK COMMUNITY, is an idea- when there are major world forums (the next is the WTO meeting in cancun, mexico) what would happen if as many art galleries as possible, were used as communication spaces- inbetween spaces (in the physical world) that were all connected together via the internet and websites, ie INDYMEDIA, and with this a massive web of communication and activity could happen, both in the real world and the virtual one..

so basically, the art gallery would become a CATALYST of communication, experimentation, action, feedback, celebration.

at present some people get ACTIVE, others dont fully care or understand why they do, what they are being active about etc. normally this is due to the unfair reporting from corporate media; if theres violence they quickly report about these anarchists bent on destruction, they dont talk about the fact that those trouble makers make up less than 1%, that there were thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands, peacefully protesting. and most importantly they dont say WHY people were there in the first place; the unhealthy systems that lead to the deaths of @ 7,000,000 people every year.

so if the gallery could firstly present the basic facts about this world, who is running it, who is keeping it unbalanced and why, how people are just starting to realise this and oppose it, how they oppose things. and also how anyone who wants to can get involved to change this place

"another world is possible" is the cry that went out from the world social forum.

its changing now, we are chaning it, we are making things more peaceful and sustainable, and most importantly we are having fun doing so

this is the background to tomorrows event, we were going to head down to MAMO, modern art museum oxford, and have an event of sorts that would explore these ideas further. the gallery is closed tomorrow evening but we will still have our event, discussion about things- it will also be a chance for more people to socialize more, get to know each other a bit, develop new ideas, DO more things.

here is more background to earlier attempts to generate STUFF in oxford, there is definately a cliqueness in oxford, there are many amazing groups doing stuff already, but perhaps they could be more effective if they communicated with each other more. it is also quite difficult for outsiders to get involved- being inclussive is very important

 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/oxford/2003/07/273800.html
OXFORD SOCIAL WANDER- saturday 120703

 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/oxford/2003/07/273651.html
how SOCIAL is oxford?

 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/oxford/2003/06/272690.html
Oxford Social Forum

 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/oxford/2003/06/273074.html
FUSPEY films 1 and 2

FUSPEY is the NETWORK i am working with- FUN, SUSTAINABLE, PEACEFUL, EXISTENCE

art should be an important part of everyones lives- being creative, coming up with ideas, doing new things

most people today feel that "modern art is bollocks" art galleries are not seen as exciting places to be

on the other hand, when protesting or preparing for one, you can find some of the most inspirational people, groups, ideas.
people who are passionate about something real- the physical state of this world and the people living on it- people who are using their creativity to its maximum to develop technigues and processes for positive change. to stand up and shout out against something wrong, to show people an alternative, to change the nature of a space for a while to remind people that things change and there is life everywhere (reclaim the streets being a very good example)

in 1989, 150 people took to the streets and had a protest in berlin,
instead of walking with banners saying "more tolerance, understanding and respect between nations", they danced to techno music, they made a party out of it.
it grew and grew into what is now the berlin love parade.
i was there in 1999, 10 years on and there were 1.5 million people dancing on the streets.
sparks happen,
fun matters

street theatre is another powreful tool to communicate, challenge
"theatre of the oppressed" is a method developed in brazil recently, it is proving to be a very strong tool, there is a guy coming to brookes art department soon who has been working in this area

i dont know much about the art world, but i would like if it expanded more into everyday life,??

anyway tonights event will be put on hold, but we will still meet up in the pub @ 8.00 for a chat and whatever else.
im leaving the country for good tomorow, so goodbye and thanks to those ive met here in oxford.

i hope to see some of you

i do wish you all the best,
im new to this stuff but i think if you are serious about this
stuff than you do have to get more social, as an outsider i
found it hard to mix and get involved. i wonder how many others
felt the same.
if you be inclussive and incoorparate everyones inputs oxford
could be one of the most dynamic progressive places in the world


 http://www.easa003.dk
is where im off to- building eco houses in freeland, a free state (anarchist?) eco village in
denmark that puts out its own tv program on danish mainstream tv about "sustainability"
with @ 400-500 other architect students from around europe
then back to dublin to work and study as an architect

its been inspirational here, good to meet those i have met,
disapointing that things did not progress further, its early days

thats the way though

slán libh

dunk