Fwd: Fake European propaganda movie hits Austria and Bologna

22 January 2006, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Fake European propaganda movie hits Austria and Bologna
Mattes' grand artwork keeps on spreading in both the public and the
media space.


'United We Stand' is the title of the much-hyped spy/action movie
wholly produced by Europe, a large-scale propagandistic stunt that has
in the past few months stirred much controversy. Too bad the movie
doesn't actually exist, but it is instead the latest insane provocation
of the artists' couple Eva and Franco Mattes, better known as
0100101110101101.ORG. After Berlin, Brussels, Barcelona, New York and
Bangalore, the gigantic performance has now landed in Austria and
Bologna.

While the movie itself doesn't exist, the actors and the flashy poster
do. They portray the inspired faces of the main characters surrounded
by the blue of the European flag and by gruesome war scenes. The
movie's Web site also exists - www.UnitedWeStandMovie.com - and it is
accompanied by an extensive advertising campaign covering half the
globe, causing extreme reactions in both the streets and the media.

"United We Stand" Eva Mattes explains "mimics the typical Hollywood
action movie where the US always wins and saves the world. We have used
their cliched visual elements, but we have replaced their flag with the
European one. The outcome is quite disturbing, it seems to me that it
better communicates what we often take for granted, rather than stating
what it truly represents".

In the past months, the movie's posters have appeared on the remains of
the Berlin wall, in front of the European Parliament, underneath the
Empire State Building and on the picturesque walls of Bangalore, India.
The campaign reaches across small urban centers as well as the
advertising-crowded streets of global metropolises. Right now, as
Austria is about to take over the European presidency, the advertising
for 'United We Stand' is appearing on dozens of large advertising
billboards along the Austrian roads, visible from hundreds of yards
away.

Still in Europe, but just further south, in Bologna, Italy, the flocks
of movie fans that notoriously crowd the city have lately been
wondering how a blockbuster movie with such big names as Ewan McGregor
and Penelope Cruz could be released without them knowing it in advance.
Different reactions were found on the McGregor's official fan site: "If
Ewan decided to do it, I would definitely see it!".

"The choice of the subject" writes Flavia De Sanctis Mangelli on the
Italian newspaper l'Unita during the days of the New York campaign "a
supposed war between the United States and China, with Europe trying to
solve the case through diplomacy, is soaked with subtle and ironic
provocation. How will Europe convince the two super powers? How can
European political culture stand up to the great propaganda
simplifications of Hollywood? The work is a poignant take on the
tremendous power that the media has in the formation of consensus, as
well as a biting political satire against a very small Europe, that
only united could succeed in having its voice heard".

The enormous artwork keeps on spreading, exploiting any existing
medium, from the traditional news media, such as TV and the press, to
word-of-mouth and the Internet. "United We Stand" writes Ben Davis on
Artnet Magazine "with its focus on rejiggering pop cultural codes in
social space, is a canny updating of Pop art for the age of viral
marketing, when the mass media has penetrated firmly into the
everyday".



Parallel to the international promotional campaign, the work is
exhibited until January the 21st at Postmasters Gallery, New York, and
at Arte Fiera (January 27-30), in the Fabio Paris Art Gallery (Pad. 21,
Stand B15).



About the authors

Eva and Franco Mattes - internationally known as 0100101110101101.ORG -
are a couple of restless European con-artists who use non-conventional
communication tactics to obtain the largest visibility with the minimal
effort. Past works include inventing and promoting a nonexistent
artist; spreading a computer virus as a work of art; challenging and
defeating Nike Corporation in a legal battle for a fake advertising
campaign.



–

To contact Eva e Franco Mattes:
http://0100101110101101.org/contacts.html

More info:
http://www.0100101110101101.ORG
http://www.UnitedWeStandMovie.com
http://www.postmastersart.com
http://www.fabioparisartgallery.com

Two thumbs UP.


On 1/22/06 6:49 PM, "Franco Mattes" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>
> 22 January 2006, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
>
> Fake European propaganda movie hits Austria and Bologna
> Mattes' grand artwork keeps on spreading in both the public and the
> media space.
>
>
> 'United We Stand' is the title of the much-hyped spy/action movie
> wholly produced by Europe, a large-scale propagandistic stunt that has
> in the past few months stirred much controversy. Too bad the movie
> doesn't actually exist, but it is instead the latest insane provocation
> of the artists' couple Eva and Franco Mattes, better known as
> 0100101110101101.ORG. After Berlin, Brussels, Barcelona, New York and
> Bangalore, the gigantic performance has now landed in Austria and
> Bologna.
>
> While the movie itself doesn't exist, the actors and the flashy poster
> do. They portray the inspired faces of the main characters surrounded
> by the blue of the European flag and by gruesome war scenes. The
> movie's Web site also exists - www.UnitedWeStandMovie.com - and it is
> accompanied by an extensive advertising campaign covering half the
> globe, causing extreme reactions in both the streets and the media.
>
> "United We Stand" Eva Mattes explains "mimics the typical Hollywood
> action movie where the US always wins and saves the world. We have used
> their cliched visual elements, but we have replaced their flag with the
> European one. The outcome is quite disturbing, it seems to me that it
> better communicates what we often take for granted, rather than stating
> what it truly represents".
>
> In the past months, the movie's posters have appeared on the remains of
> the Berlin wall, in front of the European Parliament, underneath the
> Empire State Building and on the picturesque walls of Bangalore, India.
> The campaign reaches across small urban centers as well as the
> advertising-crowded streets of global metropolises. Right now, as
> Austria is about to take over the European presidency, the advertising
> for 'United We Stand' is appearing on dozens of large advertising
> billboards along the Austrian roads, visible from hundreds of yards
> away.
>
> Still in Europe, but just further south, in Bologna, Italy, the flocks
> of movie fans that notoriously crowd the city have lately been
> wondering how a blockbuster movie with such big names as Ewan McGregor
> and Penelope Cruz could be released without them knowing it in advance.
> Different reactions were found on the McGregor's official fan site: "If
> Ewan decided to do it, I would definitely see it!".
>
> "The choice of the subject" writes Flavia De Sanctis Mangelli on the
> Italian newspaper l'Unita during the days of the New York campaign "a
> supposed war between the United States and China, with Europe trying to
> solve the case through diplomacy, is soaked with subtle and ironic
> provocation. How will Europe convince the two super powers? How can
> European political culture stand up to the great propaganda
> simplifications of Hollywood? The work is a poignant take on the
> tremendous power that the media has in the formation of consensus, as
> well as a biting political satire against a very small Europe, that
> only united could succeed in having its voice heard".
>
> The enormous artwork keeps on spreading, exploiting any existing
> medium, from the traditional news media, such as TV and the press, to
> word-of-mouth and the Internet. "United We Stand" writes Ben Davis on
> Artnet Magazine "with its focus on rejiggering pop cultural codes in
> social space, is a canny updating of Pop art for the age of viral
> marketing, when the mass media has penetrated firmly into the
> everyday".
>
>
>
> Parallel to the international promotional campaign, the work is
> exhibited until January the 21st at Postmasters Gallery, New York, and
> at Arte Fiera (January 27-30), in the Fabio Paris Art Gallery (Pad. 21,
> Stand B15).
>
>
>
> About the authors
>
> Eva and Franco Mattes - internationally known as 0100101110101101.ORG -
> are a couple of restless European con-artists who use non-conventional
> communication tactics to obtain the largest visibility with the minimal
> effort. Past works include inventing and promoting a nonexistent
> artist; spreading a computer virus as a work of art; challenging and
> defeating Nike Corporation in a legal battle for a fake advertising
> campaign.
>
>
>
> –
>
> To contact Eva e Franco Mattes:
> http://0100101110101101.org/contacts.html
>
> More info:
> http://www.0100101110101101.ORG
> http://www.UnitedWeStandMovie.com
> http://www.postmastersart.com
> http://www.fabioparisartgallery.com
>
>
>
> +
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–
Lee Wells
Brooklyn, NY 11222

http://www.leewells.org
917 723 2524