In the midst of these tumultuous times, my good friend Frédéric Dubois is organising this timely community education event on the nefarious practices of the Canadian banking system. I helped him out by quickly designing this poster/handbill, inspired by the visuals of the student movement.
Hope to see you there!
My long-standing collaboration with Memefest continues as I was asked by Oliver Vodeb to create the visuals for this year’s festival on the very timely theme of Debt. We decided to take a poetic, slightly ambiguous approach, with many subtle references, reflecting our complex relationship (and resistance) to debt.
The critical text that grounds the festival is excerpted from David Graeber’s excellent book Debt: The First 5000 Years. From the call for submissions:
DEBT IS EVERYWHERE.
It shapes our lives and defines our world.
Debt takes power from the people and places it in the hands of bankers and experts.
It wasn’t always this way.
Can we imagine a different relationship to debt?
This coming Friday, Howl! Arts will be presenting a performance by renowned radical graphic artist Seth Tobocman, launching his latest book Understanding the Crash. Seth’s work as an artist and organiser has been central to social justice struggles over the last three decades, from the squatters movement in New York’s Lower East side in the 80s, the anti-globalisation movement in the 90s, the Palestinian solidarity movement, mobilizing support in new Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, to the Occupy movement today. We’re very excited to be bringing this important artist/activist to Montreal alongside author Eric Laursen.
Local musicians Marathon, and the Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble, whose raucous music has animated countless protests and rallies, will also be performing.
More info on Howl! Arts.
Promiscuous Infrastructures (Phase II) aims to visualise/materialise Artivistic’s research practice and create an inviting space for others to reflect and participate. The exhibition/installation/occupation is based around four separate, but promiscuous spaces; a central print workshop for making zines, a research library, a meeting space, and a dining room. The typo/graphic message in Skol’s entranceway (pictured above) subtly describes the political context of the project.
Some views from the crowd during yesterday’s amazing mass protest against the tuition hikes. 200,000+, nous ne reculerons pas!
My first post as a contributing editor to Art Threat is up, a short piece on artist-run centres in Québec supporting the student strike movement.
I’ve been deeply inspired by the students here in Montréal and played a (small) role in initiating the mobilisation of local artist-run centres to support them. The initiative emerged out of a discussion held at Skol in the context of Artivistic‘s Promiscuous Infrastructures exhibition/occupation. The show has proved to be an extremely interesting tool in drawing links between cultural and activist spheres (we also helped out with this amazing street intervention), and here’s hoping this is just a sign of things to come!
Additionally, for my concerned clients, LOKi design will be joining the strike. Sorry, no work ’til Friday!
I’ve long resisted the label of “artist”, preferring that of “graphic designer”. Art carried too much weight and responsibility. As of Friday, it might sound silly, but I’m going start using the term artist, not out of any sense of pride, but as a form of active resistance…
The Artivistic collective‘s Promiscuous Infrastructures project enters it’s second phase, opening at le Centre des arts actuels Skol on Friday night (March 9th), and running until April 14th. I’ll be documenting/writing much more about it on here in the coming weeks, but for now I just wanted to let people know about the vernissage and show.
We’ve been working a long time on this, and it should be fun, hope to see you there!
Some teaser images on Facebook here.
I’ll be moderating an important panel discussion tomorrow evening on art and activism featuring artist/activists Coco Riot, Freda Guttman, Malcolm Guy, and Vincent Tinguely. After the panel presentations, we’ll open up the event to a general discussion amongst all participants, to hopefully start generating some ideas for action.
As the conservative agenda increases pressures upon artists and activists economically, politically, and ideologically, I feel it is becoming imperative that we organise together in resistance to it. I’d like to think of this event as a small first step in this direction (and as a continuation of the opening up of critical cultural space that we, as Howl! Arts, are trying to facilitate). The positive response we’ve received since announcing the event is very encouraging, and we’re sure this is just the beginning, the first event of many to come.
More info and RSVP on the Facebook event page.
Poster designed by Nazik of Howl! Arts
UPDATE: Vince’s presentation from the panel can now be read online here, and Thien’s photos of the event can be seen here.
Eric Drooker for Artist Against Apartheid (Montreal) from Trust&Co on Vimeo.
I’m very excited to showcase this short film of Eric Drooker‘s performance at Artists Against Apartheid 17 last October in Montreal. As part of the Howl! Arts collective, I helped to organise the event, which I’d like to think was one of the highlights of the year for those interested in art and activism in this city.
The video is produced by Trust & Co., a new venture I am starting up with film maker/interactive producer (and all round amazing person) Isabella Salas. It marks our first project together!
I also conducted a short interview with Eric, where he speaks about the importance of artists using the streets as a canvas to express ideas. It can be seen on the Howl! Arts website here.
