Occupation Movements- mostly we're amazed

[Journal of Aesthetics and Protest]

Mostly, were amazed.

 

1. Research Dispatch/movement research project/critical pedagogy

2. Other strands and pieces

3. Dancing with Dara

4. Open Letter RE: OccupyLA

5. Activists Barred from US/ Not An Alternative

6. Pelican Bay Prison Hunger Strike

 

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1. Research Dispatch/movement research project/critical pedagogy

 

Mostly we are amazed at the unfolding events at Occupy Wallstreet and elsewhere.

While useful criticism abounds on its rhetorics and tactics, we as co-editors are here interested in a

growing movement that came not a moment too soon.

 

A week and a half ago, we began a research project attempting to interogate the tensions

and and possibilities within the immediate Occupation at Liberty Plaza.

 

We understood that one role of the arts (in addition to multiple forms of propaganda) was to insist upon as 

wide a radical frame possible in a movement whose nature embodies popular education forums,

not specific demands. We have attempted to coordinate from a distance a team of researchers

to investigate the tensions and possibiliites.

 

As such, we present here research dispatches from Mark Read, Barbara Adams and Sukjong Hong. 

We specificly saw Zucotti Park as the juncture of protests and aesthetics- this research here aims to capture in as-immediate-a-form possible the ways in which people find themselves changing in movement's forms.

 

Mark Read- quoting organizer Megan Robertson "You start learning, whether its by exchanging one on one, or listening with 150 other people, or the General Assembly, you and I learn from each other. That's an amazing addition to any education you've received. You can't leave this park without learning something."

 

Barbara Adams- When I questioned people milling around the square over the course of a few days, most told me they came because they “wanted to see.” One participant told me she came to see for herself on the first Monday of the occupation and has returned every day since that first visit.

 

Sukjong Hong- I am meeting tonight with a group of local activists in a police accountability coalition in NYC who are struggling to come to grips with what solidarity and alliance and side-by-side struggle means in this occupation.

 

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Ultra-red audio collective has been very helpful for us in the inception of this project. Ultra-red provided the Journal with a research rubric based on Frierian notions of political education through which we might look at these and other movement's educational forms.

 

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2. Other strands and pieces

 

In attempting this project, we cast a wide research net and caught little bits that might be of interest.

 

*Martin Saura, a creative activist coming out of the Spanish Plaza movement was highlighted by both Stephan Duncombe and Mark Read for some of his creative contributions. Mark Read interviews Leo Martin Saura here- the #spanishrevolution interview.

 

*Labor actions by the locked out 814 Art Handlers Union have been inspirational. See the video if you haven't.

 We are also reminded of this action by UK Artists Against Cuts at another Sotheby's Auction in London.

 

* We have been asked to forward this recent video recieved from a member of a collective whose other members were potential researchers.

 

* An old article we ran by Greg Smithsimon regarding Urban Planning/ Public Space has some interesting insights into some formal elements of the specific park occupation.

 

* In attempting this project, we encountered friendly possibilities for institutional support in casting  a more formal research net. Stating the obvious, this thing is productive of things. 

 

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3. Dancing for Dara

 

If we were in Chicago tonight, we'd be Dancing for Dara

 

 

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4. Open Letter RE: OccupyLA

 

Our friends at Occupy Everything posted this thoughtful essay on the LA occopations and beyond.

 

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5. Activists Barred from US/ Not An Alternative

 

What's up with this?

http://notanalternative.com/blog/activists-barred-us-and-occupywallstreet

 

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6. Pelican Bay Prison Hunger Strike

 

http://prisonerhungerstrikesolidarity.wordpress.com/the-prisoners-demands-2/

 

 

 

 

 

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