'Visual jousting' & 'Remember Crimes'

Hi there Wally,

This is the only mail that I wish to send on the matter, mainly because I am
creating much art & am involved in various exciting projects at present
(all the time in fact). And I do not wish to be diverted into a flame war
that does not nourish my psyche.

I already know that you are keen to promote and propagate your own
intentions and ideas that America does not aim to hurt other societies via
its actions. Although you have seen endless counts of evidence before your
very eyes questioning such spurious aspirations. You do not have to agree
with them but there does come a time when events must display a certain
obviousness contrary to one's assumptions.

To label any form of protest as 'fashionable', or 'politically correct' and
reduce it to a mere item of trendiness; I feel is not really taking personal
responsibility of what is actually happening, especially in view of the
context of why so many people around the world are so alarmed, concerned
with America's actions. Contrary to the propaganda that America and the
United Kingdom have splurged all over the media, continuously. It is time
for you to admit that it is not a mere 'politically correct' act to disagree
with one's government's actions, or another culture's. It is an act of
personal will, a decision to question the imposed view. If you see that as
wrong, then I can only presume that you are not keen on personal freedoms of
thought, because that is what is happening here - people are declaring their
own feelings and ideas about big, life threatening situations that they are
concerned about, and quite rightly so.

JOUSTING:

By actively trivializing any form of communication that individuals wish to
declare on the subject, especially by constantly bringing in other arguments
such as referring to Chechnya by many emails, and distracting people from
the
actual issue itself; could be seen and interpreted as a form of censorship,
almost as if you are trying to block out any form of dissent or questioning
on the matter.

The piece that Andrej posted on Rhizome 'LOOK AND REMEMBER THE LOST OF
INNOCENT CIVILIAN LIVES', is an art piece. This is very much part of his
art. He creates a lot of political art, and he is by no means 'politically
correct' by any stretch of the imagination. The situations that he refers to
in the images have and are happening, and are largely caused by US controls
with trade embargos on less well off cultures. He is not wrong for creating
a work of art about that, he is reflecting many people's views, including
those who have personally suffered such negative impositions.

In fact it is a great art tradition to create pictures as argument, for
instance Picasso viewed much of his early cubist works as visual arguments
against other forms of visual creativity, a bit like rapping. Was his work
in 1937 'Guernica', a bad work of art because it reflected the bombing of
civilians by fascists in Spain? I see Andrej Tisma doing exactly the same
thing today in many of his works.

So may be a more positive suggestion of visual jousting could resolve the
matter, thus taking away any personal inflictions on people's characters…

If you feel that strongly about it, or as strongly as others (which are few)
that America has been wronged, then like Andrej, you too can create artwork
as a form of creative argument against such declarations. May be someone can
dedicate space for a visual argument for all concerned to place their views
online, instead of just in text on the list. This is also a good opportunity
for rhizome itself to deal with such issues of angst ridden statements that
many are coming across on the list. So, if one of the rhizome gang wishes to
designate web space specially for this matter, I am sure that they would
would be looked upon affirmative reflection, by the list members and
visiting online public.

What does everyone else reckon?

marc