06.18.2004

Monday Night 06.21.04 — Critical Art Ensemble Reading + Discussion — MASS MoCA Series

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Monday Night 06.21.04 — Critical Art Ensemble Reading + Discussion — MASS MoCA Series
1. About this Monday 06.21.04
2. Reading Links
3. CAE Defense Fund Website
4. Recent articles on CAE case + Upcoming Journalisms
5. Tuesday CAE Benefit at Passerby
6. About the MASS MoCA Series
http://www.caedefensefund.org
http://www.16beavergroup.org/monday
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1. About this Monday 06.21.04
Who: Anyone interested is invited
When: 7.00 pm, Monday 06.21.04
Where: 16 Beaver Street 5th floor
What: Critical Art Ensemble: a reading/discussion
This Monday we will be meeting at 16Beaver to discuss the recent actions taken by the US Government against artist, thinker, professor, and activist Steve Kurtz of Critical Art Ensemble.
In April, a couple of us met Steve in Buffalo at the Free Cooperation Conference organized by Geert and Trebor. We had already had some correspondence and were excited after meeting to invite him and other members of CAE to discuss their work as a part of our MASS MoCA series.
We still intend to have such an event and hope that it occurs in the near future. However, given the current circumstances, we have elected to have an open discussion around the recent events.
As always, it will be an informal gathering, please feel free to invite friends, and if anyone knows any writers or media, the more people writing about this, the better.
PS…
As a way of grounding some of our discussion we offer the following suggestions:
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2. Reading Links
A. We believe that it would be beneficial to have a look at the most recent book written by Critical Art Ensemble, The Molecular Invasion, published by Autonomedia. We suggest reading it from start to finish, but the introduction and the 5th Chapter might be useful for the discussion. Both are available for free on the CAE website. (A few copies of the book have been made available to us by Autonomedia and will be available for sale at cost).
http://www.critical-art.net/books/molecular/index.html
http://www.critical-art.net/books/index.html
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3. CAE Defense Fund Website
B. CAE Defense Fund website will have the most up to date information on the case and if you are able to donate, you can do so online.
http://www.caedefensefund.org
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4. Recent articles on CAE case + Upcoming Journalisms
C. There are some links to articles we have posted on our website
http://www.16beavergroup.org/mtarchive/archives/001069.php http://www.16beavergroup.org/mtarchive/archives/001037.php
http://www.16beavergroup.org/mtarchive/archives/001007.php
D. There will be a forthcoming Journalisms that will also foreground a few questions that could be discussed on Monday Night.
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5. Tuesday CAE Benefit at Passerby
Screening and Fundraiser for the CAE Defense Fund, organized by Gary Indiana and hosted by Jack Doroshow, a.k.a. the Flawless Sabrina.
Tuesday, June 22, 2004, 8 pm
Free, donations taken
Passerby, 436 West 15th Street (between 9th and 10th Aves)
An evening of film screenings, music, and fundraising for Steve Kurtz and the CAE Defense Fund.
Kurtz was arrested under the USA Patriot Act after police, entering his house in response to his 911 report of his wife’s death, alerted the Joint Terrorism Task Force to test tubes and petri dishes – the material of Kurtz’s art – found there. Work by Kurtz intended for exhibition at Mass MOCA was subsequently impounded, and feds have decided to press their “case” against Kurtz, despite the declaration by the Commissioner for Public Health that neither Kurtz nor his materials were a threat to public safety. Now three artists have been served subpoenas to appear before a federal grand jury as it considers the bioterrorism charges against Kurtz.
This is urgent: the government’s crackdown on “unpatriotic behaviour” is unlikely to stop here. Please join us at Passerby to raise funds for and awareness of the case. In lieu of a cover charge, contributions to the legal defense fund will be taken, additionally, Critical Art Ensemble books will be available for sale.
The screenings and music will take place in the gallery space in the back of Passerby; the bar will also be open.
Featuring:
Walter Steding on violin
Alex Bag: Demo Reel/Coven Services
Gary Indiana: Soap, and Pariah
Michel Auder: My Last Bag of Heroin (For Real), The Valerie Solanas Incident, and Polaroid Cocaine
Lenore Malen: The New Society for Universal Harmony
And other films by:
Critical Art Ensemble
For more information please contact Emily Speers Mears at 212 352 3555 or emily@passerby.biz. For additional information on Kurtz’ case or to donate directly to the CAE Defense Fund, please visit www.caedefensefund.org and www.critical-art.net
NOW SHOWING AT PASSERBY: “LATHER”
PERFORMANCE AND OPENING EVERY DAY AT 4:30
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6. About the MASS MoCA Series
At the conclusion of May 2004, MASS MoCA opened its doors to “The Interventionists: Art in the Social Sphere – a brief survey of interventionist political art practices of the 90s”.
Since 1999, we have been organizing events, presentations, and activities which have among other things generated/addressed questions related to social engagement within cultural practice.
So rather than produce something outside our framework of ongoing activities for this exhibition, we will instead tie together our discussions/events which deal with the larger questions of art in the social sphere.
We will not only attempt to invite artists who are involved with the exhibition, but other projects, artists, practices which we find interesting and believe make an important contribution to the subject at hand. We also hope to organize some readings and open discussions that do not center on one particular artist or group.
Other events in the series have included:
http://www.16beavergroup.org/monday/archives/000792.php
http://www.16beavergroup.org/monday/archives/000668.php