Forgiveness - the gift

Here is an excerpt from my a-n.co.uk: Artist Talking, Exposing contemporary artists' practice
blog.

The recent state supported season of commemorations for the American civil war have been unexpectedly soul stirring. It forces me to take notice of the uncomfortable space that Acceptance calls on one to occupy.

Artist: Yvette Dubel, 'Project:Forgive postcard3', paper collage and digital media. Photo: Y. Dubel.Courtesy: SoulFood Studio. Postcard 3 from Project:Forgive - a global call for attention to forgiveness as a path forward. Open invitation to the public to contribute and expand the project.

In response to an editorial piece by the director of the Fairfield County Museum, who has inspired other works in this series going back to "what is peace?" genesis of http://ProjectForgive.org , that was published on The State newspaper website - in reply, I posted the following comment:

Can we agree that a terrorist is a radical who employs terror as a political weapon; usually organizes with other terrorists in small cells? In the context of the civil war - that seems to fit the confederates.

The bottom line is that many are calling for us to celebrate Domestic Terrorism. Was Lincoln's response that different from Bush's response to contemporary terrorism? It seems that the national policy has been pretty consistent in dealing with that kind of activity, so I repeat the question being asked by many who have not posted here - "what is there to celebrate?"
A terrorist is a terrorist. Whether born here or elsewhere, actions define a life and that is the legacy they leave for their descendants...as well as, in many cases, wealth built on the backs of slaves.

I also know Pelham and wonder how as a fellow student of history the obvious can be so grievously overlooked? But that also helps to explain a great deal about why things are as they are - and would ask you to consider the role of the history museum in being a place to continue dialogues about histories lessons versus enshrining the south's past with its corresponding prevalent mindsets. For example, The Oral History Project and similar exhibitions at the museum in Fairfield was an encouraging step in the right direction of increasing inclusion and the diversity of perspectives on history - very good for opening dialogues that could move the community forward. Instead, such projects have been shut down and gotten menial support at best - while fund-raising to preserve more destructive elements of our historical past have gotten full attention and considerably more funding support.

The rationale for what the confederates did - and those who think it is something worthy of celebration is every bit as logical as our modern day terrorist and their supporters.

I wonder if there will be a call for non-accusatory remembrances of September 11th in a couple hundred years? Will there be a call for the descents of those victims to be understanding of the rationalization for the terrorists crimes? How does that attack that lasted a single day compare with this one that lasted four years?

Perhaps a more constructive way of acknowledging this part of history would be to focus on Forgiveness - where to forgive is to give up hope of a better past.
If anyone is interested in continuing THIS dialogue I invite you to contact me and join me in ProjectForgive.org I am in the process of developing art and events focused on bringing people together to explore the reality and context of Forgiveness - it is the healing salve we need to strengthen our communities and families. Perhaps this time of recognition for the civil war could be a chance to explore its legacy and maybe - just maybe we can increase the peace.

Someone else mentioned a candle light vigil, which is a good place to start because each person can remember who they choose and honor lives lost - I'd be up for that...

Read more: http://www.thestate.com/2010/12/19/1611832/commemorative-events-can-benefit.html?story_link=email_msg#comment-115171745#ixzz194LjeYNb

TimeLine a WebAntiphon in Institutional Critique

In continuing to think about my response to the question of how feminist art and the movement have been internalized in the south. Feminist art wasn't really something we saw in our environment, those are among the least likely shows to have made it to my neck of the woods when I was growing up. If an artist insisted on showing work that was seen as inflammatory, then they find themselves without a place to show....unless one just put it out there beyond the ivory towers. The feminist movement has an example in the impact of "trickle down" theories. What have we learned about how this has worked in economics?

It has been the legal changes that have been the clearest evidence of its impact. For example, legislation ending the legalization of marital rape and domestic violence being taken more seriously.

Perhaps because basic assumptions of freedom were arguably more grievously overlooked in southern culture, that asserting ones worth and right to choose include and reach beyond the expected.

Generally speaking, once cases were overturned by the Supreme Court it would take about 20 years before the new laws were embraced or actually took affect down south. For example, Brown vs. Board of Education was a 1950 case ending racial segregation in schools under separate but equal. However the high school in the county where I attended did not integrate until 1970. Interracial marriage was legalized 1967 by a Supreme Court overturning Virgina ruling that said equal punishment for the crime of interracial marriage made the practice just. But when I was growing up it was not unusual for interracial couples to be asked to leave establishments, denied admission, or otherwise made to feel unwelcome or harassed.
Even in 1989 when my husband I were newly coupled, I recall a BBQ place clearing out when we entered at lunchtime. The service was colder than the food we were served. It could be that all those people just happened to have to leave when we sat down - but I have not gone inside a BBQ restaurant since. On another occasion, I recall getting upset with a hostess who wanted to sit us in the back near the kitchen although the place was not crowded. Since it has happened previously, on that occasion I wanted to know why we were be seated in this dreadful dark corner by the kitchen. I didn't get an answer but we were given a better table.

The case that led to marital rape being called Rape was decided in 1970, I think, but certainly this and related issues made the lives of many women I knew difficult because lax enforcement and stigma can be more powerful than the law.

What is emerging is that I am curious about the class division in the feminist art movement as being related to the issues of Institutional Critique. I wonder if it is class as much as race that has been the issue limiting discourse around those topics relevant to women's movements. However, with little effort this emerges as a humanitarian and ecological movement - a shift towards peace building rather than war making.

What IF the opposite of war is CREATION?
that is the question that reflections on the play Rent prompted me to Re-consider.

The Art Installations I recall from my early exposure were all in urban environments...usually presented in pristine sterile contexts. What happens if instead of fighting about the way it has been I put my attention on creating solutions... and then continue building on what I learn?

I put up the installation and a retired school teacher came over to ask about it. I briefly explained the art concept as being a TimeLine putting world events in the context of personal experiences to create a more accurate historical picture.
She shared with me about her and her husband's family history as a (white) sharecropping family. His mother was known for the speed in the cotton field. She had met her husband when he returned from the Vietnam War.

I will be adding their events to the TimeLine.

The encounter demonstrated that put in a familiar setting that "high art" can attract those people who would avoid it in an institutional setting.

Moving Forward with Determination

Over the weekend I watched "Rocky Balboa" again because my husband had not yet seen it. It was my recollection of two scenes, that made look forward to seeing it again. Like many of the books I read - after I see a movie I often forget much of it. However, this speech from the movie sticks with me - especially on those days or at those moments when I get discouraged.

While I feel ego has been put to rest in my quest - I also feel we are the vessels of the dreams that seek expression through us. That is what my journey as an artist has been about - and although it would be easier to just paint or do something that was easier for most people to comprehend, I realize that is the challenge of doing something new.

"When you have a dream - you have to protect it. People can't do something themselves they want to tell you, you can't do it." (from the movie Pursuit of Happiness)

Yes, I have had those moments where I wondered why I didn't have an easier dream, something easier - simpler.... like "normal people". For whatever reason(s) that is not what calls me - that is not who I am. I suspect like many of you, I seek to live a life that is authentic and true to who I know myself to be....and sometimes that isn't as easy as we would hope.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." Chinese Proverb

No one else can walk your journey for you - even if others are with you, your experience feels like a solitary one. Because there will come a time, maybe more than once, that you will have to reach inside yourself and find out what you and your dream are really made of.

So what keeps you going?
What helps give one the persistence and tenacity to keep moving forward?
That is also part of who we are.

I share this clip because when you feel you have hit the wall....that life has knocked you to your knees and you are doubting that you can get back up and keep going. Please remember that it is in you to do it.

Recipe for a New Paradigm

Excerpt from our evolving concept paper

I hope to have this finished soon but in the meantime I will post parts of it to my blogs.


This document emerges from the realization that there is a recipe for capitalizing on the potential of a given situation. Much like cooking there are a lot of consistencies in the process, but what may seem like small differences are actually quite significant in the results produced.

While this is not to debate whether to continue investing in existing system, but to suggest that alternatives get attention. Consider that many of our old systems are based on the needs and thinking of the industrial age. Even in attempting to adapt to the information age, changes were largely superficial and do not reflect the depth of our current knowledge of information or organic systems.

Rather than a debate, this paper invites discussion on and consideration for how to develop structures that integrate more of what we have learned about freedom (creative expression), information and natural systems. This is a strong basis for developing strategies for working with rather than against the flow.

An analysis of seven tropical forests around the world has found that nature encourages species diversity by selecting for less common trees as the trees mature. The landmark study, which was conducted by 33 ecologists from 12 countries and published in the journal Science, conclusively demonstrates that diversity matters and has ecological importance

Pasted from NSF news summary

As an art based approach, the process for creating with attention towards multilateral potentiality that cultivates social capital requires a different world view. It is not based on either or, but and. Existing systems which are cracking at best and crumbling at worse, were not designed to enable inclusion. Inclusion supports diversity.

Another reason to support - explore - invest in Art based research is that Art Embraces Diversity and helps chart unknown terrain about 12:34pm from TweetDeck

To get better results we need to cultivate more original ideas using what is here identified as "self referencing creativity". Again, this is not an either or situation but in addition to what is coming from traditional institutions. Many ideas develop outside of them not by ignorance of the various programs and bureaucratic processes, but because they do not offer the context conducive to their maturation. The very environment they foster is counterproductive in this new paradigm.

It requires less energy to flow with the water moving down stream than to hold that water flow back. This energy expenditure is also expressed in resources required and the efficiency with which they can be applied to the challenge.

Decision makers would be well advised to keep this common sense example in mind when considering why broader and deeper perspectives are needed to make better decisions. For example the self organization phenomena represented by the growth in peer to peer networks gives new insight into the understanding of culture and collaboration. Within these networks there is a wealth of great ideas and the nation/community that benefits will be the one that makes it easiest to advance them. This new approach will actually reduce risk, and this counter intuitive idea needs to be explored because it could actually be the salvation for economic stabilization and renewal.

Source Arts Outreach

What is going to be the focus of this blog?

Why am I starting yet another one?

These are a few of the questions I thought I should have answered BEFORE I did this, but somewhere along the way I just decided I would discover those answers along with you.

I have been working on a collaborative art series called "Cultural Fusion Art as Philosophy"
and although that is still in development I am not sure how this will connect to that, other than both having a connection to me. Both flow from my quest to express this connection between personal intention, clarity of consciousness, system solutions and art/creative expression.

My first line of thinking with regard to this blog is that I will explore using it to share podcast with subscribers and develop the "outreach hot line".

I have been exploring how this works to support someone as an intervention when their mood starts to shift, before they find themselves knee deep in it.....you can call the hot line to be connected with a frame of reference that supports you in dealing with the reality facing you AND your power to create the reality you choose.