Art on the Inside, Blood on the Outside

  • FoolishPeople create Weaponised Art, Ritual Theatre and Film, to raise a numinous experience within the witness by unifying Hermetica, Gnosticism and the Esoteric.

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Culture & Media

April 08, 2008

'The Art of Memetics' by Wes Unruh & Edward Wilson

'The Art of Memetics' by Wes Unruh & Edward Wilson is highly recommended by FoolishPeople.
With a forward by Taylor Ellwood and introduction by Joseph Matheny.

"We are all part of social networks that are communicating, interacting. And this allows us to start applying cybernetic principles to psychological and social issues. Memes are not about “communication” or transfer of data. Memes are programming instructions. They are tied to actions. Memes are just the packet on this network. And the packets are usually programs which get installed on the system that accepts them. That system is you and I. Because we are components in a very large system and made up of smaller systems and components the percentage of control we are generally capable of at least at first is really small because we are constrained both by our constituting components and the system of interactions within which we are embedded."

You can read an introduction on Key64, which also features Joseph Matheny's introduction to 'The Art of Memetics'

“The Art of Memetics is a much needed text on memes and how ideas grow might and power and spread as if by magic. There is more actual magic in memes than I ever saw before reading this master text by Edward Wilson and Wes Unruh. If you want your ideas to spread, you’ll read this book twice.”
Jay Conrad Levinson
Father of Guerrilla Marketing

"’The Art of Memetics’ flows through every version of who you were, are and will be, with a strength and purity of signal that is eager to assist you in becoming all you were born to be.”
John Harrigan
Artistic Director:
FoolishPeople

“Not since Philip K. Dick and Robert Anton Wilson have I read a book that fundamentally altered the way I see and process media. The Art of Memetics extends the work of Marshall McLuhan into a media ecology of sympathetic coexistence, a model worthy of exploration if a sustainable equilibrium is valued.”
Ben Mack
Magician, Memeticist Author:
Think Two Products Ahead

Available now for a limited time period only: The Mastermind Edition

February 01, 2008

FP caught up in Heath Ledger conspiracy theories...

...about his death on site Godlike Productions:

"Here's what I found.  No wonder Heath Ledger couldn't sleep"
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 364972
1/30/2008 4:37 PM

[link to www.foolishpeople.com]

1988 made up for this with the other extreme, the finest Batman story to date, Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s The Killing Joke. This tour-de-force for the first time examines The Joker’s origins giving, him some pathos, whilst showing some of his most sick crimes to date. The Joker escapes from Arkham and sets up HQ in an abandoned fairground. He breaks into the apartment of Barbara Gordon, daughter of Commissioner Jim Gordon, and Batgirl in her spare time. He breaks her spine and then proceeds to sexually abuse her. Kidnapping her father he takes him back to his lair and forces him onto a ghost train showing him blown up pictures of his own daughter writhing naked in her blood. Whilst this grotesque ride is going on The Joker sings a catchy little number about the joys of insanity.

“When the human race wears a sorry face,
When the bomb hangs overhead.
When your kid turns blue it won’t worry you’
You can smile and nod instead”

This was part of a piece originally written by Richard Freeman for fp.com
and bizarrely turned up amongst various people musing conspiracy theories about Heath Ledger, Numerology, Symbolism, and Channels Closing.

Fallen Nation Audiobook

The Fallen Nation Audiobook is now available at:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/fallennation
Recommended by FoolishPeople

Chapter1

October 11, 2007

“Entertainment has let us down...It’s actually preventing us from living our lives.”

In the run up to the London Premiere of 'Dead Language' at the ICA next week, John has been involved in a variety of interviews, the most recent being an exclusive interview with Open Magazine's Loma-Ann Bonner:
"There's a layer to art and entertainment now that's stopping us thinking, it's coming between us and common sense."

Next week, FoolishPeople will feature on LBC Radio, with an audio preview of 'Dead Language'. Details to follow...

October 04, 2007

Greylodge

We are very proud to announce that Greylodge, has become our main sponsor for 'Dead Language', which runs at the ICA from 17th-22nd October.

Greylodge is such an important site for so many reasons, who FoolishPeople have followed for a number of years, and couldn't be happier for people who we respect as much as them to be supporting ourselves in such an incredible way. We would like to especially thank Joseph Matheny and James Curcio for the part he played in making this happen, for believing in our work and stepping forward to assist FoolishPeople at a crucial time.

Alien

You can book tickets now for 'Dead Language' at www.ica.org.uk
or by calling the box office on: 020 7766 1415

July 14, 2007

Institute of Contemporary Arts : What is the ICA?

Link: Institute of Contemporary Arts : What is the ICA? : What is the ICA?.

"The ICA is home to the best new art and culture from Britain and around the world. A meeting point for exploration between artists and audiences, the ICA examines the questions that shape our culture, society and individual lives. We believe in creative adventure. In art as inspiration. Ultimately the ICA is not so much a place as a principle. A belief in the new. An enduring faith in the creativity of tomorrow." Ekow Eshun

July 03, 2007

Witchcraft Experts Gather in Norway

More than 60 experts on witchcraft from across the world are gathering in a tiny Arctic town in northern Norway.

For three days in Vardo they will have discussions, lectures and the odd film show on ancient and modern sorcery.

The International Midnight Sun Witchcraft Conference is organised by Scandinavian and US universities. Organisers say persecution is a thing of the past in Europe, but in parts of Africa and Asia men, women and children are still accused of witchcraft. As in the past, experts say, victims are often singled out by their communities and made scapegoats for outbreaks of disease, bad weather or other misfortunes.

As well as touching on these issues, the Norwegian conference will also discuss Shamanism - a practice that centres on communication with the spiritual world, mostly through animal spirits. Some experts claim that Shamanism predates all other organised religions.

But beyond the scholars and believers attending this week's conference, witchcraft has recently gained a new and rather younger circle of enthusiasts, following the publication of the best-selling Harry Potter books - and films - one of which has its worldwide premiere today.

During a 17th-Century witch-hunt in Vardo, about 80 women were burnt at the stake. Reports from the time indicated they were accused of meeting with the devil at the nearby "witch mountain". During the 16th and 17th centuries it is estimated that up to 50,000 people were executed for alleged sorcery across Europe.

June 30, 2007

Mark Lawson: Culture is not an industry | Art & Architecture | Guardian Unlimited Arts

Link: Mark Lawson: Culture is not an industry | Art & Architecture | Guardian Unlimited Arts.

The financial power of the creative industries - comparable, we're told, to the financial-services sector, and growing at twice the speed of the general economy - was the subject of a report from the Work Foundation published the day before the change of premiers. This was partly because of the risk that the foreword by culture secretary Tessa Jowell might have a sell-by date, but also because the celebration of entertainment - or "knowledge economy" in the report's coinage - feels instinctively more Blairite than Brownite.

March 07, 2007

Terra Incognita - Line up announced

Line up, line up...

February 11, 2007

Ghost Redux - Photo Album by Lili Spain

Lucyallinwa11

We have a new photo album with pictures taken by the ever the talented Lili Spain at Ghost Redux, the FoolishPeople hosted evening at Artisland, which took place at the incredible 491 Gallery on the 2nd of February 07. Ghost Redux featured performances by The Foolminati, The League of Ridicule, The Dionysian Underground and FoolishPeople.

January 27, 2007

Untitled page from 'Foundling' - Lili Spain

Untitled1lilies_1

© Lili Spain 2007

January 26, 2007

Myth Creation

Myth creation is a funny thing, Its very different from the construction of normal stories or narratives.

Myths must live on when you look away, they must breathe and live and fight for existence. In some ways they must already exist and wait for the right eyes to look upon them and see that they are ready and their time has come.

A group of incredible artists have joined myself and FP to look upon Terra Incognita and see that this Myth is now alive.

Terra Incognita is Open Source and each artists working within its landscape are wiping away the dream like clouds to see how they exist within the various realms of this Myth.

Terra Incognita will exist in solid form from the 31st of March 8pm as a colossal meta event that has broken through to this version of reality.

The construction of the next world has begun.

January 19, 2007

Esozone

362249923_ba9f9acaaa_o1

January 17, 2007

GHOST REDUX - A FoolishPeople hosted evening at Artisland

Ghost_enhanced_copy_1

FoolishPeople are hosting an evening at Artisland on the 2nd of February, Ghost Redux. This is the FoolishPeople special that only aired in limbo. So if you need to see the door open into the puzzle and unknown land that is Terra Incognita then come along on the 2/1/06 8pm to 10:30pm Fountayne Road, Seven Sisters. The event is free so you have no excuses.

Artisland two runs from the 26th, 27th, 28th and reboots for another weekend on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of February.

Details at the Artisland Myspace.

January 15, 2007

Terra Incognita

Ocean_gravity_map_2

Terra Incognita

1. An unknown land; an unexplored region: "a vast and virtually final terra incognita left to terrestrial explorers".

2. A new or unexplored field of knowledge.

FoolishPeople are looking for performance artists, musicians, d.j’s, artists, poets, writers, dancers, actors, burlesque performers, digital artists, filmmakers and organisers to collaborate with us to perform and exhibit at ‘Terra Incognita’ a unique Meta-Event that FoolishPeople is hosting at the 491 Gallery, London in late March.

The end of time.

The death of culture

The journey into the unknown and how it reflects our journey as a species into the next crucial stage of development or demise.

We’re looking for artists who can use FoolishPeople’s open source myth of ‘Terra Incognita’ to cultivate and develop their own art.

To collaborate and perform or for more information, please contact FoolishPeople via art@foolishpeople.org

www.491gallery.com

January 04, 2007

Sewing the Saint's Lips Shut

Video excerpt from FoolishPeople's rehearsal of 'Dark Nights of the Soul- Cycle VI: Carousel' of Santiago Genochio's lips being sewn shut.

Download FoolishPeopleRehearsals.mov

Sticky with wet desires and slick evolve; disney hurt and pentagon medicine. I want you when it’s all done, when all the stories are told. When the teeth are out and the flesh in my mouth has scales. Give your sacred role, as we ache for your pain.

Hooked into what I am, I attach you now to this purpose, as your pain becomes the conduit with which the scar heals and the bridge is built across the end into the new. Look out and stroke my face. Look at what you are, know you are the beautiful one with poena, who takes the punishment in place of those who will not face the future.

Close the gates and let your velvet passion rise as we will you to become what you were, and are. Every innocent lost in one moment of simple pain will heal via this night, as we resurrect every possibility for your species.

Let us see your quiet glory.

Santi3


November 11, 2006

One_Artisland

Artislandposter

Over the last few day's FP has had the pleasure to watch as Artisland has begun to manifest throughout the 491 Gallery.

Artisland is a new Art Event that is looking to link different artists and creative communities all over Europe in order to improve communication between them, as well as to provide support for their projects and information on creative events. The stepping up of social interaction in our society is one of the core aims of this event.

We rehearsed as the artists were hanging their art around us, which fed our work and took us higher, a link grew as those very same artists watched as we worked to create Cycle V.

A girl named Guerret sat down and watched the entire run, even though English wasn't her first language and we struggled to communicate with her after, we let her experience of our work provide the link and that in some ways did a much more through job of showing who we are. We exchanged address's and we will no doubt see her again.

This exhibition is free to everyone during the four opening days. On saturday 11th of November, from 8pm till late, £5 admission for the opening night/private view.

All the benefits of the exhibition will be given to “The toy library”, a charity for childen in Waltham Forest. Paintings, illustrations, designs, sculptures, videos and music performances from 19 European artists will be on display.

What I have seen is incredible and beyond anything else looking to provide an important role to art, artists and society. Please make time to see something special.

One_Artisland
www.myspace.com/artisland
www.491gallery.com
10th, 11th, 12th and 13th of November
11am to 9pm.

October 20, 2006

FP-Simulcast: WA2.0 Isabelle

Weaponised Art 2.0 > Isabelle

October 17, 2006

491 Gallery...

...is a gallery like no other!
It is a unique Sustainable Community Regeneration Art Project (SCRAP) that has been addressing the needs of the local community for five years in a way that no other organisation could. It is an evolving Arts Piece, a meta-conceptual living room, a pirate utopia, reclaiming neglected land and property and giving something incredible back to the community with a healthy balance of art, regeneration, education, performance, gardening, and diversity of life.

This is why we are proud to announce the 491 Gallery as our official sponsors for the final two cycles of ‘Dark Nights of the Soul’, providing us with a creative space with which to develop our work in this very special environment.

During this time, FoolishPeople will be open source, sharing our skills, resources and abilities though a symbiotic relationship with the 491 Gallery and the surrounding community. FP would like to thank Stef, Lisa, Vittoria and Santi in enabling this to happen. We look forward to this exciting residency!

September 22, 2006

Weaponised Art 2.0 at Guerrilla Zoo - The Experiements

Experiementa_3 FoolishPeople will be at the next Guerrilla Zoo - The Experiments 1.0 at the Corsica Arts Club on the 20th of October.

If you ingested 1.0 then your on your way to becoming a 100% homoplasmate.

Survival Horror X Weaponised Art ∍ The People ÷ FoolishPeople = 8Go Institute for illumination and happiness.


Experiementb_2

September 21, 2006

Suffering as Art

I was at the private view of the MA show for the Chelsea College of art last night. I was invited by a friend who was exhibiting. Overall the work was excellent.

The evening was only spoiled by the use of live animals in the work. Four live birds crammed into a small cage in one installation was bad enough but one particular video piece which used dogs was blatanly cruel. As artists we have to be prepared to be open to the same scrutiny as scientists who use animals as subjects in testing. People could easily make a case for the fact that animals in art has no use except to show our blantant cruety to the living things we share a planet with. To be quite fucking honest I can walk down the street and make that asumption easily as should everyone with a heartbeat and a soul. I dont need to see another species treated like dirt to understand.

Its really easy to use a living creature suffering in real time to display discomfort instead of using the skills you should have to recreate the experience with art with no further suffering and to push the suffering further for art is just fucking nasty.

The piece in question recorded a pack of hounds in front of a row of meat. Like any dog they wanted to eat the raw meat but if they tried to get close enough they were whipped back by some evil fuck who should be forced to hand in his card which recognises him as a useful member of society.

Dont get me wrong suffering is sometimes necessary for an artist. Ask any past artists who have worked with FP, but the difference is individual choice.

Not how fucking clever you are to point a camera and press record on a horrible scene.

September 19, 2006

You are being watched...

STREET LOUTS TAMED BY CCTV

Big Brother-style talking CCTV cameras which bark orders at louts could be on the way to our streets after a successful pilot scheme in the North of England.

The technology allows CCTV control room operators who spot misbehaviour to embarrass wrongdoers by announcing: “You are being watched” or even caution them of police action.

September 15, 2006

Weaponised Art 1.0 >>> 2.0

Weaponisedart10_2

To coincide with the annoucement that FoolishPeople will be performing Weaponised Art 2.0 at the next Guerrilla Zoo on the 20/10/06 we now have a new photo album up of the first infection; Weaponised Art 1.0.

All photo's taken by Bettina John courtesy of Guerrilla Zoo.

Treadwells Events

Treadwells once again have a diverse list of events in the coming months, including the launch of FP's dear friend Stella Damiana new book Sex Spells on the 11th of October.

Exhibition of the Art of Roland Spottiswoode
Ongoing through 11 October – in the downstairs gallery of the shop
Anglo-Irish oil painter with an interest in literature, occultism, theatre and the unseen worlds. Unusual portraits of Robert Graves (of White Goddess fame) and Yeats (of the Golden Dawn) as well as greats from theatre like Noel Coward, Tennessee Williams. Open daily at Treadwells until 11 September. For more, see our website on http://www.treadwells-london.com/art.asp. Extended by popular demand for another month!

Memories of a philosopher... Deleuze and Sorcery
13 September (Wednesday) Matt Lee, University of Greenwich 7:15 for 7:30 £5.00
Matt Lee introduces some key concepts in the thought of Gilles Deleuze and considers their implications for contemporary magic. Deleuze challenges much of received wisdom, including many ideas pervasive in occultism. He takes concepts of the individual, of reality, of perception and of imagination – and shifts them radically as he attempts to destroy an 'image of thought' -- a mind-set that constrains thought itself. Matt Lee looks at how this applies as much to occultists as it does to philosophers, and proposes that Deleuze can open up a radically different conceptual basis in magic. If one follows Deleuze, a reality arises in which the entities and forces of the world take on an enfleshed and formless life, more terrifyingly real than anything previously imagined except in the dark corners of a few broken minds. Matt Lee is a lecturer in philosophy at Greenwich University and a practising chaos magician from Brighton. He publishes the 'chaos majik' magazine Razorsmile (http://razorsmile.org) and works in a small eclectic coven and in a goetic working group.

Continue reading "Treadwells Events" »

September 09, 2006

Toilet Graffiti

Toilet

September 07, 2006

'The Wicker Man' Review

Wm1_2
This re-make of the 1973 U.K cult classic ‘The Wicker Man’  was insulting to itself and even to the most intellectually challenged audience member. The so-called ‘Pagans’ were disappointingly portrayed as matriarchal feminists isolated from the mainstream that resembled more of a Nazi Aryan Magick camp than of a Magickal community.

I found it slow-paced and boring to the point I was more interested by Willow’s (Kate Beahan’s) over-sized lips than the actual plot. The only moments that briefly captured my attention were the hallucination/dream sequences of Cage’s character that were woven into the story with interesting cinematography. However these were drowned in his wails of ‘Rowan’ that made me wish I could actually join in the ritual and burn him to death myself. 
Even the film’s ‘climax’ was made into a painful ineffectual joke- unless people have started using giant fish heads and bear costumes during rituals that I don’t know about?!

So definitely one to see…if you want to waste a couple hours wondering if Willow (Kate) has had Botox or just been stung in an attack by the Summersisle bees!
Wm

August 29, 2006

Life as a piece of branded flesh.

"I now realise that it's these damn brands that are the source of the pain. For every new status symbol I acquire, for every new extension to my identity that I buy, I lose a piece of myself to the brands. I placed my trust, even some love with these companies, and what have I had in return for my loyalty and my faith? Absolutely nothing. How could they, they're just brands."

Neil Boorman a music promoter and style magazine editor by trade on on life as branded flesh. Neil in less than a month's time plans to burn every branded thing in his possesion. Gucci shoes, Habitat chairs, even Simple soap. He has reached a point where he can no longer be around these things, no matter how special they make him feel.

August 26, 2006

Treadwells Events

Christina and Kathy, our friends at Treadwells have a new list of upcoming events. Some really fine stuff coming over the next couple of months.

Exhibition of the Art of Roland Spottiswoode
Ongoing – in the downstairs gallery of the shop
Anglo-Irish oil painter with an interest in literature, occultism, theatre and the unseen worlds. Unusual portraits of Robert Graves (of White Goddess fame) and Yeats (of the Golden Dawn) as well as greats from theatre like Noel Coward, Tennessee Williams. Open daily at Treadwells until 11 September. For more, see our website.

The Japanese Ministry of Magic
29 August (Tuesday) Laura Nakagawa Miller 7.15 for 7.30 pm start £5.00
This illustrated talk introduces and illuminates an unknown chapter in the history of occultism: the demon craze of Japan’s late Heian era (10th and 11th centuries), which was a time of morbid superstition, when aristocrats lived in mortal dread of the supernatural. Laura Miller looks at the unique combination of religious and folk beliefs which produced a fearsome pantheon of demons. She also talks about the extraordinary frenzied campaign against the demonic forces, a campaign that included the formation of a ‘Ministry of Magic’. You meet trickster foxes, the bloodsucking ‘neck lady’, some dangerous pond life, demon muggers and Japan’s most famous sorcerer, Abe no Seimei. In a strange coincidence, the symbol of the pentagram appeared at this time in Japan in connection with Abe no Seimei . Prepare to be astounded, amused, enlightened. Laura Nakagawa Miller holds a degree in Art History from Cambridge University. She lived for several years in rural Japan where she taught and painted, holding her first one woman show last year. She has lectured on various subjects in Japan, studied calligraphy for several years and was associated with a Japanese Zen Temple.

Continue reading "Treadwells Events" »

August 25, 2006

Vs Bigots

Jhayne Holmes on how to deal with evangelical bigotry.

Focus on the Family, the horrid anti-gay evangelical church based in Colorado Springs that wields too much power for anyone's good, has a store on their website that will give you books, CDs, and DVDs absolutely free of charge. Usually people pay for their items by donation, raising millions of dollars to help Focus on the Family produce more hate-propaganda featuring "experts" on homosexuality who claim it's a curable "sickness". (They're practically defined by their book A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality. Course, there's no mention of having less kids, which is the only proven method. No, no, you shouldn't use birth control, that would be wrong. They need more worshippers, how dare you prevent god's will.)

It's a little bit time-consuming, but not enough to deter me. (Nor should it you). The chance to take money out of their pockets is too useful, not to mention satisfying.

Here's how to do it in 10 steps:

1. Go to www.family.org and look for the "Resources" link in the blue bar on the left-hand side, right above the "Search" box, and click it.

2. Under the "Resource Category" menu on the left-hand side, you'll notice categories such as "Homosexuality" under "Resource Category." Me, I went straight to the CD's and DVD's under "Resource Format."

3. Go through, find something you like, such as the recently released movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe or The Chronicles of Narnia Radio Theatre Complete Set, suggested donation US $79.00, or the three disc Les Misérables soundtrack. It's not a very wide range of products, but there's bound to be something either you like or you could use as a sweet gift for someone else. Click the "Add to Cart" button.

They won't send more than $100 worth of materials for free in any given shopping trip, so be sure to go through a few times, until you're sure you've dinged them.

4. Select "Add New Shipping Address," decide to send it yourself or someone else, and once you're done picking up to $100, click "Proceed to Checkout." Some people have been sending items to themselves to sell later on eBay, some have been ordering the more controversial items as conversation pieces or educational props, (as anti-anti-propaganda), but I plan on using mine as gifts, mostly. I've found no reports on receiving Focus on the Family junk mail after inputting an address, so I figure it's fairly safe.

5. The next screen asks you to sign-up for an account and give your information. Fill it out with fictitious information, enter whatever name and address you like. You might want to make up a phone number too and an e-mail account too. After filling out all the required fields, click "Proceed to Checkout" one more time.

6. This will take you to the "Here is Your Cart" page. You may have to re-enter your data again after this part to actually confirm your account. Eventually, you'll get to the "How Much Would You Like to Donate?" page.

7. Select "Enter other total amount" and enter 0.00 as the amount you would like to pay. (Don't put in a dollar sign or it will ask you for credit-card information.) Don't be fooled by the field in the lower-right-hand corner that shows you the suggested donation amounts, simply Proceed to Checkout.

8. The next screen is a guilt screen, to make you feel bad about how little you donated. ignore it. Ignore it utterly. Think of how many people they're persecuted and had in their "gay kids can be cured" camps. Just proceed to checkout again.

9. Click "Checkout Now."

10. Finally, pass this information on to all your friends. They've got money to back them, we have word of mouth, let's see if we can win.

Thanks to Mr Ellis for this one.

August 16, 2006

Fettered Pleasures

Fettered Pleasures is sponsoring 'Weaponised Art 1.0', being performed this Saturday at Guerrilla Zoo.

Fettered Pleasures is an adult store which has a reputation for being at the upper end of the fetish market and has a broad customer base, from absolute nervous beginners right through to professional Mistresses needing a full dungeon installation.
In terms of sexuality, they cater for everyone - bi, gay, straight and transgender and have an extensive range of product including: bondage, restraint equipment, fabric, leather and rubber clothing as well as corsetry.

In April this year, they made the Time Out 100 hottest London Shops and were voted Retailer of the Year at the London Fetish Scene awards in December 2005. They are currently finalists for this year’s awards also.

Fettered Pleasures Limited
London, UK

http://fetteredpleasures.com

August 10, 2006

Solve et Coagula

Reduce and reform yourself into a pure essence.
Rehearsals have began for 'Weaponised Art 1.0' and I can already feel the hypersigil side-affects starting to claw into my system as we indulge in the script.
I am distilling myself: the part that let other people define me and how I act is trickling away, so that I can completely become. Solidifying the remains into a pristine structure.
This will be perhaps one of the most powerfully magickal pieces we have delivered yet; we look forward to sharing this ritual with you.

Solve et Coagula.

August 04, 2006

Taking it apart.

Rehearsals began this week at Treadwell's for Weaponised Art 1.0, our performance at Guerrilla Zoo on the 19th of August at Corsica Arts Club.

The script deals with modern Magickal subversiveness and much of the ideas and themes touch upon the work FP has conducted over the last year.

Much of today was spent taking what we have apart and seeking its strengths when in the hands of core FP performers. It was good to get back to working with people like Mark Wright (Wound). He's very fucking funny and a pleasure to work with.

Much of the script was written in various fugue states. I'm trying to replicate altered states that mimic communion with pharmacological Egregore's but with no ingestion of the substances. Most drug induced states are available via sleep deprivation, exhaustion, sex or various other methods. I'm playing with Leary's 8-Circuit Model of Consciousness on this one, so expect me to be even more incoherent than normal as we begin to tool up Weaponised Art 1.0.

July 24, 2006

Arts Catalyst Presents: Marching Plague

In May 2004, FBI agents and the Joint Terrorism Task Force raided Critical Art Ensemble founder Steve Kurtz’s home, seizing art works and research materials for the Marching Plague project, dedicated to demystifying the issues surrounding germ warfare.

After spending millions of dollars, the US government has been unable to produce any evidence that Kurtz is a “bioterrorist”— yet they refuse to return the seized materials.  Despite this, Kurtz has been able to reconstruct the research and produce the film Marching Plague, commissioned by The Arts Catalyst, and accompanying publication.

Following a screening of Marching Plague, bioweapons experts and artists join Steve Kurtz and Steve Barnes of Critical Art Ensemble to discuss bioterrorism, the culture of fear and artistic censorship.

An installation in the ICA outlines the tragedy-to-farce timeline of this art work and can be seen in the bar from Sat 29 July – Fri 5 Aug daily, 12-7.30pm.

(Thanks to heather for pointing this out - J)