Wednesday 17 March 2010

Jon Jordan?

Hi all,

Andy and me went to a good event at the school of geography yesterday called 'Activist Geographies'.

The whole day was great but there were two particularly interesting speakers. The first was Lindis Percy 'peace campaigner, founding member of the Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases, and long-standing activist'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindis_Percy
(though information here is pretty scant), and

http://www.caab.org.uk/

....... Not 'art', but pretty inspirational stuff (though this might not translate through the above pages). She has managed to spend most of her life causing not insignificant problems to the UK and US governments, the police and the legal system whilst holding down a job and having a family at the same time. She seemed very nice too.

More relevant....

The second was John Jordan - 'art-activist / insurrectionary art etc etc' - One of the creative strategists behind much of the recent anti-capitalist and anti-globalisation protests and actions. Some really impressive stuff and really well and entertainingly presented. He has formed clown armies and constructed giant walking dolls with big dresses that hide people with pneumatic drills so that they can destroy motorways unseen.... etc etc.

Some links....

http://www.clownarmy.org
http://www.labofii.net/
http://www.weareeverywhere.org/

The quote that stuck with me...... 'The left are crap at having fun and guilty about pleasure.' Food for thought.

Anyway....

We spoke to him briefly about the lab on the basis of him maybe coming to talk / meet us. Would this be something that would interest people? If so we'll follow it up and check his availability.

He's also had some run-ins with the Tate (apologies for bringing in BD''s business)- so may well be worth talking to more about that.

Nice one.

3 comments:

  1. Was a proper good talk (and event) like. John Jordan also has a page 'polemic' in this month's Art Monthly about his experience with the Tate which I'll bring along to the lab when we're back in.

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  2. Yeah, count my vote - I would certainly be interested to hear him speak at black lab.

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  3. I'd really love to hear what he has to say. The clowning move is great. xm

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