4D POP

CrisisArt Festival
Arezzo, Italy
July 6-11, 2012
Art, Autonomy and Resistance
confronting the crisis with a new social imaginary

Invitation
to
Artists and Social Activists

Performing artists and social activists are invited to assemble in Arezzo, Italy for the second annual CrisisArt Festival to create, discuss, plan and above all share their visions of their art and the future.

The festival will include performances and symposia to present ideas and analysis on the relationship between art and resistance to the crisis as well as topics vital to practicing artists and activist today. In addition, there will be daily discussions and workshops for all participants. The culmination of the festival will be a collaborative performance project created by the participants in which we will attempt to put our thoughts and ideas on the nature of art into practice. This is not proposed as a festival of 'political art' in the strict sense but rather recognition that artists must engage the social world outside of and beyond its commercial/financial domination.

Those interested in participating can propose performances, workshops or theoretical presentations. This is a full participation festival with the expectation that all present will take an active part in all proposed activities throughout the festival. It is the purpose of this gathering to heighten our awareness of artistic and activist practices internationally, to create networks and to deepen our understanding of the potential of art and the artist to play an active role in resisting the current crisis.

The CrisisArt Festival 2012 is entirely organized by the CrisisArt Collective, an organization of Artists and Activists who recognize the vital importance of finding moments of engagement outside of the framework of institutional and financial domination. In keeping with the nature of the current crisis, our festival is a zero budget festival. Therefore, our effort is to provide the most for the least. To this end we will provide a comfortable and inspirational place to spend five days together, working, creating, discussing and socializing.

For information: www.crisisart.org or contact us by email at crisisart@dellarte.it

Endorsed by:
Accademia dell’Arte
London Metropolitan University

Every epoch not only dreams the next, but while dreaming impels itself towards wakefulness.
Walter Benjamin

YOUTUBE VIDEO 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DK53hDUXERk

Here is a project I have been doing at OccupyPortland just to talk to people and to show something of the diversity of peoples opinions, reasons, etc. that exist among the participants. I want to help combat the myth that there is one "type" of person involved. Im going to continue the project (without the 99 sign, which has come to seem a little unnecessary). I always encourage people to cover their face if they are uncomfortable with having it go public, but so far most folks want to be seen and heard as a part of this. I think it could be really something useful if people in other cities wanted to do something similar and start building an archive of these portraits and mini-interviews.
http://www.whyioccupypdx.blogspot.com/