Unconditional Love.....

"On September 11th, 2006, I packed my bags and headed to New York City for the 5th Anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Knowing that emotions would be running high on all sides of the political spectrum, I took a sign that encompassed the only thing I knew to be true: Unconditional Love is Global Security." - Bri Olson

Octavio Jones Photo Story on NC Migrant Conditions

Octavio Jones is a student at Randolph Community College and has taken some moving photos of migrant workers living conditions in North Carolina. Great job Octavio of showing the side on North Carolina that most of us never see. Click here and then press the play triangle to see and hear his photo essay.

287g: 1900 style

Watch this sad excerpt from Marko William's Documentary "Banished" on You Tube.

This Trains Gotta Stop!

The Quaker Service Committee's protest against the War, Eyes Wide Open, came to Greensboro several years ago. I along with my family visited the Old Downtown Depot ( recently remodeled ) to see this moving and sad installation. I just found a panorama online of this installation. The singing in the background makes it seem like a holy place. As each US death was marked with one pair of boots, today it could never fit within the depot. Along the outer edge children's and women's shoes were stacked in chaos to represent the civilian deaths. Today, they would need a mountain of shoes to do justice to their memory.

Be sure to direct your mouse upward to look upward at this amazing train station. I have been here to say goodbye to my son as he boarded the train to go to college. I cannot fathom the sadness of the parents who came here, to this memorial, to say goodbye once more to a loved one. This trains gotta stop, Mr. President.

Making Art, Not War, in Afghanistan

German artist Luis Berrios Negron traveled to Afghanistan in 2006 to hold a workshop with young artists and conduct an architectural performance in a notorious location, a Russian built, but never used, swimming pool and accompanying billboard. The location was used by the Taliban for executions including pushing victims to their death off the high diving boards. Check out this interview on Pigmag.jp to see what he and the students pulled off.

Liberty Wall? Eye Sore? Embarrassment?

Gaudencio Fernandez of Manassas, Virginia, has created a wall that expresses his frustration and anger over the treatment of undocumented immigrants in his community. Watch the below You Tube video to see the emotion and debate this wall has created. Here is what the wall , in its current state (it has been fire bombed and vandalized over the last year) says:

" PWC AND MANASSAS CITY THE NATIONAL CAPITAL OF INTOLERANCE European American(s) exterminated millions of Native Americans in order to steal America, they were the first illegal aliens. European Americans have a 500 year history of rape, theft, murder, slavery, articial borders, "Jim Crow" laws and deportations of Native Americans. Since 1866 THe KKK rode at night to torture, lych and kill blacks, native americans, and other people of color. Today the actions of PWC and Manassas city council, are similar to the colaboration between local governments and the KKK in the 1900's. On 2.25.08 Manassas city mayor Douglas S. Waldron said Iam proud that finally we came to an agreement with PWC to implement 287g because we care about our community. What community!? 287g is an agreement will immigration and customs enforcement to detain and question native americans by police officers at their discretion. PWC and Manassas city persecute us with our own tax dollars, because European Americans would rather hava ghost town than live among native americans. They ignore our voices, they ignore our civil and constitutional rights, there is no democracy.. stop the persecution, we demand equality, and justice for all. WE WILL NOT BE YOUR SLAVES OF THE 21st CENTURY. "

Our Time Has Arrived!

Art Activists! Our time has arrived. ArtVenture, in association with ARTICLE 19, has proudly launched the inaugural ArtVenture Freedom to Create Prize. The US$ 100,000 prize consists of three categories and is designed to recognise artists whose works promote human rights, free expression, empathy, equality and understanding.

"The winner of the main prize, open to artists in the visual, performing or literary arts, will receive $50,000, half to be donated to a group that furthers the artist’s cause. A $25,000 prize will be given to an artist younger than 18, with $10,000 for a scholarship and $15,000 to be donated to a cause. A final $25,000 will be awarded to an artist who is imprisoned for his or her work." - Sarah Lyall, New York Times Article

Submissions for the prize close on 31 October, 2008

Documentary Photographers at Their Best

Verve Photo's by line is "A new Breed of Documentary Photographer" and each entry has a freshness and strength that is refreshing. It has quickly become one of my must visit sites to regularly check out. Holly Wilmeth's kiss series is one of my favorite. Visit Verve to find your own.