October 2013 – Page 2 – Kristen Baumlier

Month: October 2013

The Mašta Handbook – a Practical Guide to Creative Activism

Posted on October 14, 2013October 18, 2013 by Kbaumlier

So what is going on in current practices of creative activism? I recently read an update on the Kulturlabor Trial & Error website about a new handbook about creative activism created by Masta magazine. The handbook is a collection of creative activism and is intended to inspire others to move from thinking to doing. In the handbook, there are stories shared by collectives and activists that include different methodologies, best practices, experiences, advice, anecdotes, tips and tricks.

The handbook is meant to function as an online community and publication for youth educators, activists, artists, community facilitators and others who are interested in socially engaged change. Some of the collectives and activists that have participated include yay@flautas, F*ck for forest, Partizaning, Molestar.org, Karsay Dorottya and Dainis Ozoliņš and others from Germany, Spain, Holland, and other European countries. The Handbook is an open document, and more action reports and interviews can be added as it grows.
I checked out the handbook, and some of the groups that I found interesting included HUMOENLACIUDAD, a group that created engaging signs in public space and a project called the Teilnahmerei, a meeting space and series of events in Germany where everything was free of charge.

Some interesting projects in Spain included #Porrablock,when hundreds of thousands of citizens surrounded the Spanish Parliament asking for politicians to resign, and brought an edible baton (in Spanish “porras-churros” a typical Spanish food); and Ayuntañecos, a series of public puppet shows that were done in front of a popular Spanish bank in order to bring awareness to unjust home evictions in 2012.

The Handbook is an open process, so you can still contribute to the publication, so if you are a creative activist who wants to share an action report, contact the project at editor@mastazine.net. Please note that the handbook will not include projects that explores a superficial way, so no performances of “free hugs” or dance flashmobs.

The Mašta Handbook – practical guide to creative activism was made possible with help of financial support from the Council of Europe – European Youth Foundation.

Image Source and Links:

http://www.mastazine.net/handbook

Sonia Rentsch – Images of Guns made from Natural Materials

Posted on October 6, 2013October 7, 2013 by Kbaumlier

Artist and illustrator Sonia Rentsch often works with objects and photography to make images that exist somewhere between realism and abstraction. Earlier this year, she created a series of objects made of natural materials like seed pods, leaves, and sticks to represent the form of guns, grenades, bullets and other weapons. The series of images were titled “Harm Less,” and present both beauty, violence, as well as man and nature.

The objects were photographed for the magazine January Biannual by Albert Comper and are printed in an edition of 25. The images are simple but present big questions about the relationship of violence, nature, and man.

You can see more of the images on the Harm-Less area of Rentsch’s website. Rentsch also works as part of the creative group Moth Design, which does exhibition and product design.
Images and Links:

www.soniarentsch.com/Harm-Less

www.mothdesign.com.au/

Vandana Shiva and Seed Libraries

Posted on October 2, 2013October 7, 2013 by Kbaumlier

Today many seeds are considered “intellectual property” by large companies who own the patents, which lead to monopolies of food production and profits. Vandana Shiva has become a leader for the global battle over genetically modified seeds. Shiva and others challenge the safety of genetically modified seeds, with claims that the seeds harm the environment, cost more, and can leave local farmers deep in debt and dependent on suppliers.

I recently checked out Shiva’s website which has news and resources about “seed freedom” as well as updates and pictures about current projects. One of the resources on the site includes a “seed kit,” which has resources to help you create a seed bank, a network of seed saving and exchange in your region.

Seed banks are often also called seed Libraries, where individuals can give and borrow seeds. So far Navdanya and her team have set up over 80 community seed banks.

The website gives suggestions about how to get started, and it starts with collecting seeds:

“First, start collecting the seeds in your region. If you are saving seeds in pots, keep it in a cool and dry environment to prevent any damage. Similarly it is important to label the pots with the details of the seed variety contained in it (like the name of the variety, particulars of the variety-for ex, drought tolerance etc). If you are planting the seeds, make sure you are able to identify the varieties cultivated (for instance, by labeling the plants). Similarly, save a portion of the seed before replanting the variety.

If you are a school, start saving seeds by setting up a “garden of life” to save seeds of freedom. If you are in a community, start a “garden of hope” as a community seed bank. If you are associated with a temple, church, mosque, gurudwara, start a seed sanctuary or distribute seeds as a blessing.”

You can read more about Vandana Shiva and her work on vandalashiva.org, and I recommend checking out the video of Banda Shiva being interviewed by Bill Moyer.

Images and Links:

www.vandanashiva.org/

Interview with Vanda Shiva – by Bill Moyer