PAINTING WITH FIRE

THEY BUILD WALLS BETWEEN WORKERS TO CREATE FEAR AND BREAK DOWN SOLIDARITY…

WE PAINT WALLS TO CREATE SOLIDARITY BETWEEN WORKERS AND BREAK DOWN THEIR WALLS


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PAINTING WITH FIRE
AGITPROP MURAL/ART EXHIBITION

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Call for Participation:

Agitprop Mural/Art Exhibition
February 8 – March 10, 2007
Chen Gallery
Central Connecticut State University
New Britain, CT



AGITPROP (agitation-propaganda) is a genre of art that became best known during the early years of the Russian Revolution, when artists brought their work out of the galleries and into the streets. They decorated the boulevards, painted trains and ships, built floats and monuments, published silkscreen posters and generally created a political and democratic form of art to advance the revolution.

Northern Ireland, the Basque region of Spain, Nicaragua, Mexico and many other international sites have a history of creating these murals. Agitprop has a tradition in the US as well – in the songs and cartoons of the Wobblies (IWW – Industrial Workers of the World,) the mass theater of the Paterson Silk Strike Pageant, murals inspired by the Chicano movement, etc.

With the global rebellion against the occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine, agitprop is attracting new artists and audiences. With that in mind, we invite the participation of groups and individuals whose art is created as part of the movement for social justice.


What Will be Exhibited:

- Text, photo, electronic and video documentation of agitprop mural/art projects by artist groups and individuals.

- Banners, puppets and other large scale painting used on demonstrations, picket lines, meeting backdrops, etc.

- We also invite groups and individuals to send small images that will be reproduced as banners by students in the CCSU mural program. Painting will take place in Chen Gallery before and during the month-long exhibit.


Who May Participate:

In addition to artists, images may also be sent by political prisoners, active-duty GIs, striking workers and others who breath life into our painting.
We particularly invite international participation.


Special events:

- March 8: Presentation by Desmond Rochfort, author of The Mexican Muralists
co-sponsored by the CCSU Seminar on Latin American Society and Culture

- March 10: March & Rally: At the conclusion of the show, the banners will be taken off the walls and carried through the streets in a demonstration of international solidarity against the wars and occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine.

- Other events TBA


Location:

Central CT State University is home to a unique, community-based mural program. Our students learn the history and techniques of mural art while painting in the working-class neighborhoods of central Connecticut. Past work has tackled issues of child labor, the war and occupation of Iraq, the student movement, immigrant workers, sexual abuse, popular culture, ecological destruction and similar subjects.

Over 50 murals have been painted on the CCSU campus. Students have traveled to Siracusa Sicily to create a peace mural, and visiting artists from Mexico, Northern Ireland and other locations have donated small murals to our campus.


Sponsors:

CCSU Art Department/ CSU Peace Studies/ Labor Art & Mural Project
We welcome additional sponsorship


To Participate:

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Please Reply to alewitzm@ccsu.edu


Name:

Group:

Address/ Location:

Describe the documents and/or materials you would like to submit:

I/we can send the following:

I/we cannot send materials but will provide an image:

Suggestions for other participants:

We would like to co-sponsor the exhibition:

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For More Information:

MIKE ALEWITZ
Associate Professor
Artistic Director, Labor Art & Mural Project
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Art Department/ Central CT State University
1615 Stanley Street/ New Britain, CT 06050
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