Lotsa shit

thanks to Loose for the most tasteful image of the year - and one which had me gnashing my teeth at missing the closing finale of the THE SHIT SHOW

At around the same time - I was planning to be running around williamsburg chasing zombies - but was to knackered by the feminist future symposium to do much at all.

News of the week is that the National Art School will not be amalgamated with any Universities but that the NSW department of education and training are looking at 'other options to conserve the unique character of the site' or institution - or some other weirdarse bureauspeak. In the meantime, one bright spark has started up an official shit stirring blog - whingeing eloquently about shit going down at the old gaol.

despite the cumbersome title, it offers some punchy perspectives and a timely challenge to the reactionary jingoistic anti academic guff that got peddled in the local press last year.

i've decided that even long distance: Mayhem is sydney's answer to the williamsburg 'wagmag' a monthly leaflet and map that lists the freepiss/new art happenings every night in williamsburg, the 'hip' part of Brooklyn.

so here goes:

Meanwhile - back at the ranch, don't look have an opening this wednesday Jan 31st, called 'teen dream' by jaqueline dunbar. DON'T LOOK Gallery is at 419 New Canterbury Rd, Dulwich Hill, NSW, Australia (a block back from the corner of New Canterbury Rd and Marrickville Rd).

The rise of the middle classes, compulsory schooling and the outlawing of child labour all gave rise to the phenomenon of the 'teen'. This 'in-between' period has generated an industry that exists between childhood innocence and raunch culture – between teddy bears and girly mags.

Jack Dunbar has constructed a personal response to the social construction of the male teen using evocative imagery projected from lightboxes installed in the ceiling. Like oil and water these constellation-like projections contrast uneasily with our teen's bedroom below. There is something voyeuristic about this scene. We are viewing a boy's private world – one that is becoming a bit too comfortable and a little outgrown. At the same time we are privy to his media-constructed fantasia – the supposed ideal construction of beauty – of womanhood. This 'ideal world' however, is beyond his reach and quite terrifying to the adolescent.

Dunbar has created a rare opportunity to gaze into the hormonally-charged world of a teenage boy. Filled with memories, expectations and fears, we see beyond the usual PR opportunities for 'teen' marketers into a more nuanced topography.

On the same night - and a mere few stops on the 428 bus away Factory 49 Showroom has an opening at:
49 Shepherd St, Marrickville, Sydney. (Shepherd St runs off Addison Rd)

Show #14 - paintings by MATT ALLEN, opening 6 - 8pm, Wed 31 Jan until Sat 10 Feb and and Outside Wall Work painting by KATE MACKAY

The Showroom is open every Thurs - Sat, 1 - 6pm

on saturday

GroundFloor Gallery have a group show called 'teasers' opening this saturday afternoon (3rd February) from 3-5pm

at their new address at 39 Cameron Street Balmain, Sydney NSW Australia 2041

t: 02.9555.6102 f: 02.9555.6104

Tracy Clement is in it, and says its a 'teaser' fr her solo show in October so worth a look

If you can't be bothered getting over to Breezy Balmain on saturday arvo - then try Scheffer Gallery at 38 Lander Street, Darlington for

Brendan Smith <>
Opening Saturday 3rd February 5-7pm until 24th February
SHEFFER GALLERY
38 Lander Street Darlington 2008 Sydney
11-6pm wed-sat Ph 9310 5683

The following Tuesday February 6

there's a show called UNREAL-ESQUE, opening at GRANTPIRRIE, 86 George Street Redfern

the curator says  'It has eight really great artists in it: Sarah Parker, Marisa Purcell,
Sally Ross, Bethany J Fellows, Sharon Goodwin, Jaki Middleton, Therese Howard
and Caroline Rothwell.'

Meanwhile that cultural desert Newtown - is having a NEW CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE open - and it's looking for artists!

At The Vanishing Point – Contemporary Art is a new independent
contemporary art space that will showcase a challenging and dynamic program of art
exhibitions. The gallery will be opening in March 2007 on King Street
Newtown. We are calling for proposals from artists, curators and groups
to exhibit during our first two seasons (Autumn and Winter).

The gallery places high importance on contemporary art that encourages
or provides dialogue on contemporary issues whether that be of a personal,
social, ecological, political, cultural, spiritual, psychological or
environmental context.

Our Autumn program will feature exhibitions of two and three-week
durations. The Spring program will also include four-week exhibition options.

For more information and to receive an info pack about exhibition
options at the gallery email; atthevanishingpoint@hotmail.com

or call Brendan on 0430 083 364

You're Standing In IT

does anyone remember that great ABC comedy show from the 1980's? chunky custard etc.? I hope I'm not hip and happening that the readers of this blog are all under 25 or something....

anyway - thought the title: Australia, you're standing in it befits the theme of this weeks art listings - especially since I'm NOT!

Biennale Star Ruark Lewis has a blog about a show at Gymea (where?) called Our Lucky Country

Gymea is actually part of the shire - scene of surfie pogroms in 2005 - and now site of handwringing arty farty pinko ratbag angst from troublemakers such as Moi.

there'll be a pinko-nic in Cronulla this Australia Day (that's Friday 12-2pm) for artists and friends at the Gunnamatta Park at the northern end off Tonkin Street which is at the back of Cronulla Train Station.

It's meant for friends of the exhibiting artists in the show - but you could just turn up and name drop and be fine, I reckon.....


Ruark says "come to Cronulla and enjoy this beautiful parkland setting - there are bayside swimming baths, or the ferry ride to Bundeena after lunch, a walk, a snooze, just sit & read the paper or whatever - great raves and meet each other.
we'll be down there at the picnic tables - there are beautiful old shelter there
= or park on Nicholson Parade and bring the things you like to eat/drink"

It sounds a bit suss if noone's bringing any prhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifawns for the Barbie.....

Afterwards- you can cathc the train bakc into town for the mega opening of the mega month extravaganza If you See something Say Something

Friday January 26 - Opening: Gallery 4a, 6-8pm, Special guest performance.

Gallery 4A - is in Hay Street - across from Capitol Centre. Phone 9212 0380.

Gallery hours 11-6pm Tuesday to Saturday, exhibition runs until February 11.


It's curated by Carol De Souze and Zanny Begg - and is a relationally aesthetic international, multimedia anti-national extravaganza.....



Monday January 29 - Film screening Oliver Ressler and Dario Azzellini's 5

Factories–Worker Control in Venezuela . Mori Gallery, film 6pm, followed by

talk and question and answer session with Oliver Ressler 7.30pm. Sponsored

by the Bolivarian Circle , LASNET and the Australian Venezuela Solidarity

Network.



Monday February 5 - Opening: Chrissie Cotter Gallery: 6-8pm. Artists: Contra

Filé. Gallery hours 12-6pm Wednesday to Saturday, exhibition runs until

February 17. Phone 9335 2222.



Wednesday February 7 - Opening: Mori Gallery: 6-8 pm, Performance by Justice

Yeldham. Gallery hours 11-6pm Wednesday to Saturday, exhibition runs until

March 3. Phone 9283 2904.



Saturday February 3 - Workshop with Taring Padi (Indonesian with English

translation): 3pm, Gallery 4a.



Saturday February 10 - Workshop with Contra File (Portuguese with English

translation): Chrissie Cotter Gallery. 2-4pm.



Sunday February 11 - Workshop with Etcetera (Spanish with English

Translation): Mori Gallery 2-4pm.



Saturday February 10 - Closing party: The Chocolate Factory Basement 8pm,

Organised by Lauren Parker and Supported by Dual Plover.



Sunday February 18 - Squatfest: The Anti Tropfest Film Fest (text "squat" to

0428 477 128for venue details) www.squatfest.com.



Saturday 24 February - SquatSpace presents: Redfern-Waterloo Tour of Beauty;

meet at the top of Little Eveleigh St, Next to Redfern Train Station 2pm.

www.squatspace.com/redfern .



Wednesday February 28 - Feedback Session: Is it possible to bring political

art into the gallery? Thumbs up, thumbs down… a wrap up and debrief on If

You See Something Say Something, at Loose Projects 6pm, level 2, 168 Day St

Darling Harbour.

Art far Away

this is a cross posting of the latest blog entry on mayhem's adventures in the big apple. i've got a whole blog of yankeephilia But I thought i'd post this one up here - coz its about art - and I don't want people to think that this blog is fading away like scragg's fake tan.

I had teckie disasters so didn't post up all the openings happening this week - like at don't look and the NOW NOW Fest. It's on NOW. the shit show has a talkfest happening on monday at Loose. (Level 2, 168 day Street Sydney)

And now - back to New york, where it's 16 hours behind australia.... I broke my new years resolution and had two glasses of wine last night. Not entirely by consent.

I’d trekked over to Chelsea after doing a gallery stroll in Williamsburg. The local galleries actually produce a monthly map and listings of the openings each night – so arty punters in search of free piss and eyeball stimulation – or just warmth amidst the pretty cool young things - can guide themselves along the circuit.

I was actually very strong and resisted the free beer, and free pastis on offer. OK it didn’t take that much self control actually. And the art was pretty orright too.

First up was a ballpoint show at Cinders gallery. Biro drawings are tres cool part of the edgy ‘anal grunge’ aesthetic that characterizes modern ‘youf’ art. You know the thing? Everyday materials – as a generous nod tho the waste aesthetic post-arte-povera thing combined with exquisite attention to detail and that self conscious focus on pop-culture trivia, or just trivia, that denotes authentic late-industrial-consumer-society angst?

Cinder’s last show was a big printmakers combo – and the back room sells jewellery, objects, zines, t-shirts and VINYL – yeah – RECORDS – by local hipsters, all for nice present level prices. I’d bought a resin cast cumquat slice enamelled onto a ring for a friend – and the owner said they were planning a t-shirt show in Melbourne of screenprints on teatowels at the 3rd Drawer gallery.

Back to Friday – the gallery was packed. The walls were wallpapered with 3 or four deep A4 sheets of mostly bond paper – all covered with mainly blue biro drawings –though there was one corner of black biro drawings. Tiling is a great way to hang serial style shows – where there are lots of works that share a formal criteria – (like size, or support medium) and evokes the post-modern trash-ironic-aesthetic that seeks to rise above the preciousness of art as reified singular object of genius – and embrace seriality and repeatability as fun facts of life. Prices ranged from $2.95 to $1,000.00 which was cute too. Most were in the $50-$100 range. I grasped all of the above at the threshold of the gallery, by peeking above the heads of the throng which filled the centre of the room, while swiping a catalogue at the doorway.

The next bit was a bit harder – doing the New York sauna slow stripping shuffle. (actually I’m becoming quite adept at this) – which involves peeling off layers of clothing – allowing enough time for snowflakes to evaporate but not condense on spectacles as steam, while in a really crowded room /subway/queue of people doing the same thing. One of the things I really like about winter is the constant doona like gentle pressure between bodies. Danes have word ford it: “hooglie” – which reminds me of “huggily”. Peoples bodies are so wrapped up in winter woollies that we forget our boundaries – and huddle and press and gently and sway together, all without eye contact. It’s kind of intimate, and cute, and kind of weird at the same time. I guess guys must have a similar thing at beats. Anyway I was doing this in a room, edging along the walls, back to the centre, peering at biro drawings in a not quite steamy bespectacled kind of way, while ferreting around for a tissue to wipe my runny nose. Behind me I felt the padded pressings and shufflings of the black clad hipsters of Williamsburg and I felt like I’d walked into some cool pub on Brunswick Street. (or maybe surry hills in the 1990’s – Sydney is too sunny and plastic to really be ‘cool’). Almost everyone was 10 years younger than me, with bad skin and bad hair (mainly facial on the men), but a certain je ne sais quoi that made me feel self conscious. Oh, yeah, I know. They were wearing duffle coats, high tops, those trendy Tibetan/Inca style beanies and all had white skin, black hair and mostly black clothing. I also have white skin and mostly black hair but also had on a stripy beanie, flouro orange polar, blue jeans with an appliquéd flower on the sides, green/white sneakers, and I was lugging a big puffy full length parka. (one of the key markers of social capital in winter cites is the confidance to wander round looking half fed- and underdressed – overdressing tends to connote homelessness – and overeating denotes white trash poverty – coolness invokes a detachment from the senses – such as the fear of cold or hunger).

I really stuck out because, I wasn’t carrying a can of budweiser, and I was looking at the art. Which was kind of cool. There were some really amazing detailed drawings, some exquisite stencil style blade cut and biro drawings, and a lot of fairly banal illustration, some fairly bland adolescent ‘protest-angst’ art, (complete with bad poetry) and lots of mad magazine teenage boy cartoony art. Which ain’t my cup of expresso. I considered forking out $10 for a drawing of exqisitely rendered diarrhoea on a garbage can – but then couldn’t be bothered fighting my way back through the crowds to do the purchase. So I rugged up and braved the snowflakes once more.

I checked my map and scurried around the corner to a place called “front room” – in a warehouse behind big metal doors up some stairs. This was a big white box of delights – miniatures and reproductions and a more heterogeneous crowd – that looked – like the other crowd – the artists and their friends – but these artists seemed to have spent more time away from their teenage bedrooms. The place was so packed – that I was forced to negotiate the space warily – peering at video installations, into light boxes, onto shelves. There was some bronze pistachio nuts, FUCK snow globes and a book of beautiful superimposed photographs by Robert Flynt – that were creepy and beautiful and so I got one for my friend who collects found photographs and stitches them up into little sculptures. There were more PLM’s (people like me) at this space so I could have happily stayed but – my friend wanted to push on. So out we went…..

And trudged for 2 blocks up the same street to Parkers Box. This was redolent of the Good Hope Gallery on a good night with more ‘serious’ artists, and buyers (with decent winter coats). It was a very clean white cube, with clean white works, and clean white people. And blissfully free of the stench of Storrier. (you know, I can’t BELIEVE how Australia is sooo small that even potentially interesting galleries are forced to take moribund turkeys seriously because the art buyers are so few and far between and so turkeyfied themselves that the only way to keep a profit is to sell big buck turkey art –and showing anything interesting is regarded as an act of fucking charity).

I’ll stop whingeing now – because the group show, called ‘the troubled waters of permeability’ had some really lovely works to make me smile for quite a while – especially animated sculpture video stuff – as in electronically interfaced kinetic sculptures…. Eergh. In English this means that one bit had a rotating sphere of wires linked to a whole heap of little daisies on wires on the wall that scintillated and shimmered, with various nice alternances, and then there was a really intense forest video placed in this great moving assemblage of old printer bits. I’m not sure what it meant but it looked good (great art review eh?). There was an amazing big funnel object by Soyeon Cho, suspended from the ceiling, that had the lyrical grandeur of similar objects made by Petra Coyne. It was made from an plastic forks and other every day things – and had the witty transformation of the everyday into exquisite fanciful otherness that Koji Rui did in Primavera this year.

At the steel school of sculptural formalism where I did my training – they wer e pretty down on assemblage art – because (apparently) it never allowed the objects to transcend their object-ness and become ‘pure’ material that can then evoke ‘pure’ form – and those hokey rustic wood and metal things that you see in bad Sculpture shows certainly prove that point. But occasionally, the plastic soul of banal objects can take flight and become both object and form, and matter, and as our eyes and minds stumble between all three possibilities, nice things happen. The Mayhem Theory Of Aesthetics‰ holds fast to the power of interstices, of gaps and crevices, of incomplete junctures and wrinkled seams as the repositories of the great stuff in life (which reminds me; I’ve run out of dental floss).

So I was enamoured of Soyeon’s funnel – as a permeable shell of meanings and troubledness, and nice imaginative possibilities, even though dusting it would prove a total shit. One of the nicest things I saw though was a great digital/kinetic installation by a duo called “electric shadow”. The gallery curtained of a corner to create a nice little booth. A shallow rectangular pool of bubbling water was in the centre, on the floor, with some abstracted elegant blue-green lines projected over the rippling surface – which then reflected up onto the wall. There was an enticingly expanding, shrinking animated circle projection on a pad at one end of the pool – which was incredibly tempting – to stick a foot in, o on. Which after a few bevvy’s punters gingerly did. The projection was mounted on a pressure pad – and standing on it –set off another projection across the pool – a weird diaphanous smokey shadow form streaming across the rippling water – in a way reminiscent of viola’s ‘ascentions’ (which is perfectly housed at MOMA right now). Ghostly presence, rippling water, light, air, and fine fine algorithms. Digital art done well can evoke the stuff of the self so well – sense, experiment, fate, form. This was nice.

After this I had a slow trudge tot he subway and a long wait at 6th avenue for a train to the Chelsea Bar where my friend was playing. By the time I arrived, my face was almost too numb to form words. She said she’d put my name on the door, but negotiating my way through two floors of a pumping Chelsea Gay bar on a friday night was not easy. Not to mention dealing with the attitude of the staff manning the caberet theatre where she was playing. “Have you got a reservation?” “Yeah, I’m with the Bass Player”. “Well, there’s no seats left” “I can stand” “You can’t stand” “Oh” “Ok, I think there’s a seat here, at this table, (to the seated clients) can you make room for this lady?” “yeah sure” “Ok, you can sit here” “great thanks” “now, you must have a drink, what do you want?” “err.. have you got a drinks list?” “Ok, come in here (so I struggle into the bar area) this is our drinks list (shows me to a wall of vodka). “err… can I have a glass of wine, please?” so they brought me two glasses of wine. (What!) but I was in no mood to protest. I was at a table of really lovely Manhattan Queens being regaled by an incredible performer - who put the soul back into country and coaxed a double bass solo off a Tammy Wynette tune from my Jazz muso friend. What a genius! Strutting, talking, singing, sobbing to blues, country and Tango. I texted Kath Ellis and told her to get her arse over here. New York is the place where Carlos Gardel meets Hank Williams with just enough Streisand…. I thought about some great lecture on CAMP that I heard at an art-history conference last month and felt very glad to be alive. At the end of the night, I handed over my plastic, and me, my friend and her tree (pet name for double bass) squeezed past the disco beats and muscle marys in the other two rooms and headed back to Brooklyn.

Last night in bed I actually kept on my pyjamas and my doona – and could hear the central heating hissing –so I knew it must have been cold. This morning I groggily woke up to a world of whiteness outside –and watched it melt while eating my fruit porridge.

today I braved biting cold winds that stung my face to gingerly crunch up the road to Dr. sketchy's burlesque sketch club. I was fearful of facing a room full of scary frat boys with scary ‘arty’ attitude, (like my last foray into brooklyn burlesque) but fortunately this was nothing like that. The model was brilliant and looked like a leftover from Klub Kooky in the good old days (2006 even) - so I felt right at home, and the crowd - OK - white, middle class and young - well were white, middle class and young - but they were more arty than fratty, and the music was great. There was one offputting thing - whihc was some guy who looked just like the male models out of those Scary Sylvia Sleigh paintings from the '70's (if you don't know your feminist art history well shame on you!) came up to some girl sitting near my in the break and tried to chat her up. and he was sooo ostentatious about it - and I wondered if I was a totaly freak for thinking he was a total freak or if he was a total freak. I guess it was the altter because he didn't apear to be very suuccessful, but you can't ever tell in New york. Molly the organiser said there was already a Dr. Sketchy's offshoot in Melbourne. (bloody hell) but i reckon sinney could definitely do a similary thing - we got lotsa models that do whacky dressups and lotsa whacky dresser-uppers that could model..... I'm inspired.

Books & Squatting, & Shit

You are invited to a new exhibition...


WHAT: A Book for No Good Reason
(First exhibition of the year at Don't Look Gallery)

WHEN: Opening Wednesday January 17, 6pm
Thurs Jan 18 - Sat Jan 27 (Thur-Sat 11-5)

WHERE: DON'T LOOK Experimental New Media Gallery
419 New Canterbury Rd (Near Marrickville Rd), Dulwich Hill

WHO: Pickafight Books (a williams with special guests Jordan Woods and
Bernard)

CONTACT: Greg Shapley - Ph: 0401 152 434
EMAIL: dontlookgallery@gmail.com
WEB: myspace.com/dontlookgallery


To say that a williams makes books is like saying that an actor merely
reads lines. a williams is a maker of artist's books. He stiches and
binds, but he does much more than that. a williams 'performs' books -
the narrative, or content is focused around the performance of making
the book.

Thus his books are much more than just words on a page (in fact, they
aren't 'words on a page' at all), they are sculptural objects. For
instance, in his upcoming exhibition at Don't Look Gallery, we see a
video of the artist at work.

In creating 'IncendDIARY', a williams (and co-collaborator Jordan
Woods) fill the insides of books with sparklers, then blow the living
daylights out of them. This destructive, but spectacular, act evokes
the destruction of knowledge through the glorification of war, perhaps
illustrating the old adage that, 'the first casualty of war is truth'.
The charred remains of these books are exhibited like evidence at a
murder trial.

Most of his books don't meet such violent ends, however, but all of
them have 'lived' - they have all survived performance, and as a
result, can be read as texts (despite having no printed words).

The 'Information Bomb' is the result of a performance of a character.
This character believes that if he or she combines a book (a container
for information) with some ink (the revealer of information), an
aerial (the transmitter of information) and a switch (to make the
thing work), that they will be able to make a successful book -
perhaps a book that is more technologically advanced than others.

He describes this work as a 'prototype that never got through the
patent office, made by an inbred savant who grew up in a caravan park
on the Gold Coast' (a description that a williams thinks is a little
too close to his own for comfort).

Another work, entitled 'Preservation', is comprised of a book that has
been preserved in alcohol in the hope the book will 'last for future
generations' - yet ironically it has been ruined in the process. The
way it has been preserved denies access to that which it is trying to
preserve. The object itself has been confused with the knowledge it
contains and the book has been preserved at the cost of that which it
holds.

To a williams it is the lived experience of a book that matters. In
the words of the artist; "It's not what's in a book, who wrote it or
what it's about; but what you DO TO IT that really counts..."

a williams wishes to thank the Haswell and Macleay Museums at the
University of Sydney, Marrickville Council and Southern Cross
University for their assistance and support of this project.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT GREG SHAPLEY ON 0401 152 434 OR
EMAIL dontlookgallery@gmail.com

BANANAS!!!

this was the response of a New York Poet to the latest NYPD citizen terror campaign: If you See Something Say Something.

Meanwhile back in caca land local agitprop troopers Zanny Begg and Kegroll Desouza have launched an multimedia superlineup of globetrotting arty farty pinko troublemakers.

it's gonna crap all over the sydney festival of beige - Rock on!

Exhibition, workshop and newspaper project, January/February 2007

Over January/February an exhibition, discussion and newspaper project will be held in several venues in Sydney and Melbourne. Eight international and eight Australian artists will be contributing artworks, articles and ideas for If you see something, say something which will explore another side to the debate on “terrorism”. The contributions range from the very sad and serious to the more humorous or whimsical, as artists see and say something very different to the vision of the world promoted by the government. Rather than viewing those around us with fear and suspicion the artists invite the viewer to engage with the world around them and challenge their understanding of the causes of violence and war.

Al Fadhil (Iraqi artist living in Europe), in a collaborative work with his brother Ahmed, who was tragically killed by the invasion of Iraq, sends a letter home to his parents as they are uprooted and displaced by the war that is engulfing their homeland. The images of his families belongings, packed into boxes, are a reminder of how temporary and fragile life has become in a war zone.

Grupo Etcétera… (Argentina), and the spin off collective the Errorist International, exhibit a video of their “war on errorism” in a humours look at how the “war on terrorism” has impacted on freedom and civil liberties.

Hito Steyerl (Germany) explores the connections between the Kurdish liberation movement and Western governments in her film November. November is the period of retreat after the revolution of October, her film explores questions of social responsibility, agency and violence.

Contra Filé (Brazil) initiate a “Program for the Deturnstilisation of Life Itself.” The turnstile is a key symbol in Brazilian society regulating access to public transport, education and public buildings to those with the money to pay. Their artwork sparked protests which culminated in students tearing out and setting fire to turnstiles outside the university. The initial artwork and protests are documented through photographs and press clippings.

Oliver Ressler (Austria) and Dario Azzellini's (Italy) feature length documentary 5 Factories Workers Control in Venezuela explores the process of social change in Venezuela under President Hugo Chavez. Venezuela is providing an example of different model of development for the Latin American region and presents a challenge to US hegemony in their “backyard”.

With nuclear power being promoted as the “clean” alterative to fossil fuels Taring Padi (Indonesia) create an installation which explores the consequences of a nuclear accident on the populated and geologically unstable islands of Indonesia.

Closer to home Daniel Boyd turns his eyes towards the displacement of Aboriginal people and the acts of violence which have constituted the basis for the establishment of Australia through a series of oil paintings.

Squatspace take viewers on a tour of Redfern/Waterloo as they try and comprehend the changes planned for this important and contested inner city suburb of Sydney and continue their research of this issue through a social mapping project.

pvi collective take a satirical look at what it would be like if we actually tried to enforce all the laws surrounding public space through the loyal citizen's underground (l.c.u). The l.c.u has been out and about in Perth challenging people who jay-walk, swear or break any minor laws in public.

Astra Howard exhibits her walking story booth which encourages people to talk about their lives and overcome their fear of “strangers.”

The exhibition and newspaper will be launched January 26th at Gallery 4a. Etcétera, Contra Filé, Oliver Ressler and Taring Padi will be in Australia for the exhibition.

A program of events follows.

For more information or interviews with the artists contact Zanny Begg 0421 420 420 or Keg de Souza 0412 920 044.

If You See Something Say Something

Exhibition, workshops and newspaper project, January/February 2007

Project initiators: Keg de Souza and Zanny Begg

Participating artists:

Dmitry Vilenksy/Chto Delat? (Russia)

Contra Filé (Brazil)

Etcétera (Argentina)

Oliver Ressler (Austria) & Dario Azzellini (Italy)

Taring Padi (Indonesia)

Richard DeDomenici (UK)

Al Fadhil (Iraq)

Hito Steyerl (Germany)

Arlene TextaQueen (Australia)

David Griggs (Australia)

pvi collective (Australia)

SquatSpace (Australia)

Daniel Boyd (Australia)

Astra Howard (Australia)

Keg de Souza (Australia)

Zanny Begg (Australia)

“If you see something say something,” was pasted on bus shelters and train stations around the world in the wake of the 9/11 bombings asking us to view those around us with fear and suspicion. But do we see this government sponsored vision of the world or do these advertisements move us to say something very different? In the state of exception produced by the war on terror we are asked to accept a consensual vision of fear, war, scapegoating and state sponsored violence. Yet many are moved to dissent from this.

Dissensus can mean widespread disagreement, a failure to reach consensus or a consensus only among those who dissent. Jaques Ranciere uses the term to describe rare moments of genuine democracy whereby new social actors force themselves into the political landscape demanding that their voices, which hitherto have been silent, are finally heard. While what we consider politics is often a ritualised confrontation between opposing parties, armies, or forces, with a known set of protocols on how this resolution will play out, a moment of dissensus allows a reconfiguration of how we understand the notion of politics itself by opening up pre-existing assumptions of social agency.

If you see something, say something will be a discussion, exhibition and publishing project in Sydney in February 2007. Principally this will revolve around an exhibition that will involve a small number of international and Australian artists whose work has explored aspects of dissensus - by either questioning prevailing notions of consensus or by exploring new possibilities of social agency. Rather than being an exhibition of political art this exhibition will aim to question how we actually understand the connections between politics and aesthetics.

Venues:

Mori Gallery: 168 Day St Darling Harbour

Gallery 4a, The Asia-Australia Arts Centre: 181-187 Hay Street Sydney

Chrissie Cotter Gallery: Pidcock St Camperdown

Events/openings:

Melbourne:

Thursday January 25 - Film Screening Oliver Ressler and Dario Azzellini's 5 Factories-Worker Control in Venezuela:, 6pm, Trade's Hall, followed by question and answer session with Oliver Ressler. Sponsored by the Bolivarian Circle, LASNET and the Australian Venezuela Solidarity Network. Phone: 0431 720 787.

Sydney:

Friday January 26 - Opening: Gallery 4a, 6-8pm, Artists: Daniel Boyd, Hito Steyerl, Oliver Ressler and Dario Azzellini, Dmitry Vilensky, David Griggs, Taring Padi and Zanny Begg. Gallery hours 11-6pm Tuesday to Saturday, exhibition runs until February 11. Phone 9212 0380.

Monday January 29 - Film screening Oliver Ressler and Dario Azzellini's 5 Factories-Worker Control in Venezuela. Mori Gallery, film 6pm, followed by talk and question and answer session with Oliver Ressler 7.30pm. Sponsored by the Bolivarian Circle, LASNET and the Australian Venezuela Solidarity Committee.

Monday February 5 - Opening: Chrissie Cotter Gallery: 6-8pm. Artists: Contra Filé. Gallery hours 12-6pm Wednesday to Saturday, exhibition runs until February 17. Phone 9335 2222.

Wednesday February 7 - Opening: Mori Gallery: 6-8 pm,. Artists: Arlene TextaQueen, Al Fadhil, Etcétera, Contra Filé, SquatSpace, pvi collective, Astra Howard and Keg de Souza and Zanny Begg. Performance by Justice Yeldham. Gallery hours 11-6pm Wednesday to Saturday, exhibition runs until March 3. Phone 9283 2904.

Saturday February 3 - Workshop with Taring Padi (Indonesian with English translation): 3pm, Gallery 4a.

Saturday February 10 - Workshop with Contra File (Portuguese with English translation): Chrissie Cotter Gallery. 2-4pm.

Sunday February 11 - Workshop with Etcetera (Spanish with English Translation): Mori Gallery 2-4pm.

Saturday February 10 - Closing party: The Chocolate Factory Basement 8pm, Organised by Lauren Parker and Supported by Dual Plover.

Sunday February 18 - Squatfest: The Anti Tropfest Film Fest (text “squat” to 0428 477 128 for venue details) www.squatfest.com.

Saturday 24 February - SquatSpace presents: Redfern-Waterloo Tour of Beauty; meet at the top of Little Eveleigh St, Next to Redfern Train Station 2pm. www.squatspace.com/redfern.

Wednesday February 28 - Feedback Session: Is it possible to bring political art into the gallery? Thumbs up, thumbs down… a wrap up and debrief on If You See Something Say Something, at Loose Projects 6pm, level 2, 168 Day St Darling Harbour.

With thanks to our sponsors:

NAVA

Marrickville Council

Australia Council for the Arts

Breakdown Press

Bolivarian Circle

Australia Venezuela Solidarity Network

LASNET

For more information: www.ifyouseesomethingsaysomething.net