Secretary to Address Armed Artists of America in NY

US Department of Art & Technology
http://www.usdat.us
[email protected]
Washington, DC

Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 7, 2004

Secretary Packer to Address Armed Artists of America in NY
Announcing 10,000 Acts of Artistic Mediation
at the 2004 Republican National Convention

WASHINGTON, DC - Secretary Randall M. Packer will address the Armed
Artists of America (AAA), calling on them to lead a coalition of
artists to carry out 10,000 Acts of Artistic Mediation at the 2004
Republican National Convention in New York City. The speech takes
place on Saturday, June 12, 7:00 pm, at the Studio 84 Active Duty
exhibition in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York (84 S. First St.) - a
show "armed with ideas and the tools to create a rapid response
agenda to stop the global progression towards World War III." A
reception with the Secretary begins at 5:00 pm.

At the invitation of Army Veteran Lee Wells, curator of Active Duty,
the Secretary will call on Active Duty artists to inspire other
artists into action by carrying out acts of artistic mediation that
counter the Republican National Convention. The Secretary will
announce numerous artists who are already in various stages of
planning: from Jonny America's march down Lexington Avenue in
colonial garb declaring "The Republicans are Coming," to the Revelers
who will mount the Staton Island Ferry and stage a heroic "Crossing
of New York Harbor" to liberate Manhattan from the Bush Loyalists, to
the Missile Dick Chicks, a posse of pissed-off housewives from
Crawford, Texas charged with opposing consumerism by singing songs
like "Shop! In the Name of War."

The Secretary will also announce the US Department of Art &
Technology's 2004 Experimental Party (Un)Convention &
(Dis)Information Center, a convention intervention that subverts
Republican propaganda and welcomes all RNC delegates in order to
inform, transform, and redirect their way of thinking.

The Secretary added, "Like other totalitarian movements, the
Republicans seek to impose a grim vision in which dissent is crushed,
and every man and woman must think and live in colorless conformity.
We offer to the oppressed peoples of our nation and around the world,
the great alternative of human liberty through creative expression.
Our country must never allow the Republicans to preach religious
extremism with 9-11, to use New York City and Ground Zero as the
pulpit for its ideologies."

As Reverand Billy poetically declared, "we have to match that
theater, to supplant it, and the RNC is going to be our 9th Symphony."

******

The US Department of Art & Technology
http://www.usdat.us

The US Department of Art and Technology is the United States
principal conduit for facilitating the artist's need to extend
aesthetic inquiry into the broader culture where ideas become real
action. It also serves the psychological and spiritual well-being of
all Americans by supporting cultural efforts that provide immunity
from the extension of new media technologies into the social sphere.

Active Duty: Armed Artists of America
http://www.leewells.org/activeduty2/active_duty_press_release.jpg
Studio 84, 84 S. 1st St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York

Active Duty is curated by the artist and US Army Veteran Lee Wells in
collaboration with Studio 84 artists in residence Michael Krynski and
Tom Billings. Active Duty has mobilized over 33 artists in less than
21 days as a direct response to the current socio-political state of
America and the phenomenal events taking place on, in and around the
world today.

The Experimental Party 2004 (Un)Convention & (Dis)Information Center
http://www.experimentalparty.org

From August 20 to September 4, the US Department of Art & Technology
will present to the nation a uniquely redefined convention: the 2004
Experimental Party National (UN)Convention & (Dis)Information Center.
New York City and LUXE Gallery on 57th St. will serve as the focal
point, but the Department encourages participation by citizens all
over America and throughout the world.

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