Judging by old TV shows once upon a time it must have been ‘cool.’ But I guess fashion is fashion and those who can pull off the mustache without facing ridicule are few and far between. Still a part of me longs to sprout a hairy upper lip.

Perhaps India is the last vestige on earth for that freedom. There, mustached men defiantly out number non-mustached men. To be honest it made me feel a little self-conscious – I can probably count on two hands the number of hairs I have in that sacred region. I found myself constantly assessing my own lack of facial hair with pangs of jealously.

One day the pangs got so intense that I went as far as drawing on a fuller soup strainer with a posca pen. Like a wig or fake breasts, this did wonders for my confidence. I was able to strut with my head up, a man.

Coming to Sideroom.com next week:

India in Analog | Part Three – Holi

Still I missed the click and clunk of my old analog, the anticipation and uncertainty, the physicality. In the foggy banks of my memory film was crisp and pure… but expensive. If I was ever going to shoot film again India was the place. Thanks to the third world economy, a roll of film in India costs about a tenth of the price in Japan, processing is about the same. So I left my digital SLR camera at home, bought an old, sturdy as fuck Nikon FE, circa nineteen seventy something, and attempted to take some photos.

It really did take some getting used to again, but once I got in to it, again the pros seemed to outweigh the cons. I had less money around my neck to worry about. I had no digital display to show the kids who seemed forever present, yelling “Photo! Photo!”  And as I was travelling and developing at different labs the colour and quality always came back different, which was exciting also.

For all the shitters than ended up in the rubbish I managed to get a few pics that I think are worth sharing. I don’t think I could have taken them on digital either. Analog to me just seems raw and real, much like India. So in that respect these photos captured my months there in a way only film could.

Part One
Varanasi

Also known as Benares, Varanasi is one of the oldest constantly inhabited places in the world. Once you arrive in India many a traveller and local alike will tell you “You have to see it.” It’s the kind of place you either love or you don’t. Some will tell you that it is amazing, full of life and art and music, and others will say it is the closest thing to hell, full of stench, liars, cheats, disease, decay and death.

For many, particularly Buddhists and Hindus, Varanasi is undoubtedly a holy city, if not the holiest. It sits on the banks of the River Ganga, it is where the goddess Sati’s earrings fell and nearby the Great Bhudda gave his first sermon. It has been home to many prominent Indian philosophers, poets, writers and musicians, such as Kabir and Tulsidas.

Varanasi receives more than a million pilgrims each year. Many come for inspiration, to learn music or to make art, though most come to pray and many to die. The smoke from the pyres on which their bodies burn wafts across the roof tops from the river banks.

I think one of the hardest and best things about spending time in Varanasi is the smells. One moment you get a nostril full of rich boiling curry, the next a fly infested cow pat. One street the scent of flowery incense, turn the corner into a steaming puddle of fresh human urine.

Personally I liked it. Though very intense at times it is never boring. It’s tight cobblestone alleys, decaying castles and temples are medieval… If I hit my head and forgot the year it would have been hard to figure it out. Mark Twain wrote that “Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.”

Coming to Sideroom.com next week:

India in Analog | Part Two – Hindustan and the Mustached Men

MY ART ISN’T… Sharp, I like loose wonky lines, curves and wobbly parts.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE ARE… For inspiration it’s usually a plane ticket to an interesting location, or a bike ride into town. For the making of images it’s acrylic paint, spray paint, shellac based inks, silk screens, Sumi Ink, pens, HB pencils, erasers, brushes, markers and laptop, scanner, Photoshop.

WHERE I LIVE NOW IS… In sunny Perth, it’s famous for being one of the most isolated cities in the world, which means you can always find a spot on the beach to yourself. There is a creative vibe in this city and a lot of talented artists are doing their thing.

WHERE I WAS BEFORE… Bangkok. I was living and working there for a year and a half, and painting most Sundays with four local artists. Hanging out with local guys, going to their houses and parties and eating noodles on the side of the road gave me a great insight into the Thai culture. An experience I’m sure I wouldn’t have gotten if I was just there as a tourist.

AUSTRALIA SHOULD... Be more accepting.

NEW ZEALAND IS… Fantastic.

KINGBROWN WILL… Be having an exhibition at the end of June. www.kingbrownmag.com

WHEN I WAS YOUNG I… Would build elaborate jumps to attack with my BMX.

THE MOST IMPORTANT… Thing is being good to people and doing the right thing by them, looking out for your friends and fellow humans.

WHEN I DAYDREAM I… Think about what it would be like to live in a tree house.

I LOVE… Super, good, aromatic, futuristic quality coffee, imagination, old circus fonts, beards.

I HATE… Pretentiousness, small dogs with little jackets and french names, the wrong wind.

THE WORLD RIGHT NOW… Is in denial.

IF HAD IT MY WAY I WOULD… Make more animals; just invent my own species of animal with great colour schemes and special powers, like being able to do your tax and making good coffee.

THE BEST PLACE I… Like to travel to is somewhere I haven’t been yet.

OLEX IS… The name of my new tax form filling animals.

IF I COULD EAT ONLY ONE THING FOR THE REST OF MY DAYS IT WOULD BE… Coffee.

DON’T TRUST… People with moustaches.

SOME PEOPLE… Are attractive.

THE BEST ADVICE… Is to stay positive, keep your head up, if you fail try again. Do your homework and practice.

EVERY DAY I… Use the internet.

TREASURE… Your talents.

www.theyok.com
www.kingbrownmag.com

Now in his early 30s he has moved back to his home town of Chigasaki, one hour south of Tokyo on the Shounan coast. You could say it’s the ‘Dog Town’ of Japan. It was here amongst the coastal urban and industrial sprawl that surfing and skateboarding culture thrived in Japan during the 1970s, and continues to thrive today. It’s here that IFO is based. From Soichiro’s live in office he co-ordinates the rapidly growing company, distributing everything from decks, apparel and hardware throughout Japan (and as of recently to New Zealand).

Despite being a new brand in a particularly flooded market and during a ‘financial crisis,’ IFO is doing exceptionally well. This success might have something to do with his design team – IFO’s first line of decks was the handiwork of time lapse painting guru Rinpa Eshidan. For the second line he called upon world renowned graffiti and fine artist Ben Mori, and for the Spring 2010 line yours truly, SIDEROOM.COM stepped up to the plate.

Personally, it’s been my dream to design skateboards since the time my voice was breaking and I got my first Edwards, so to think kids across Japan are rocking SIDEROOM.COM decks always puts a little smile on my dial. Recently I got the chance to drop into IFO HQ and talk with Soichiro about what led to now.

How long did you ride for Element and why did you leave?

Six years, and I left for so many reasons. Element is a great company but a big one. It was hard because I didn’t have a lot of personal freedom. I had to get permission from a chain of employees I felt didn’t have the same understanding of skateboards that I did. I was travelling a lot skateboarding, meeting so many people and making a lot of good connections. Then suddenly I turned 30 and thought it was time for change. I figured the best way to get what I wanted out of a company was to start my own. I really wanted to create a company that understands and respects its riders… so that’s IFO.

When did you start IFO?

January 1st 2009.

How is it going?

It’s doing good.

Do you have some kinda philosophy as far as IFO designs go?

I don’t want IFO to be constricted just to Japan. That’s why I have artists like Rinpa Eishidan, Ben Mori and SIDEROOM doing the graphics. They all have unique styles and followers around the world. As they grow as artists IFO grows and vice versa.

The SIDEROOM boards are selling well?

Yep really well, they are actually selling the best out of the whole spring range. I just started exporting them to New Zealand. IFO is probably now the first Japanese Skateboard company to export out of Japan. Thanks SIDEROOM (laughs).

You’ve never visited NZ, how do you envision it?

Judging from the people I meet from New Zealand they are different from Americans. More mellow and similar to Japanese I guess. Maybe it’s got something to do with the fact we are almost on the same longitude and geographically similar. I hear you have osens too.

Favourite Skateboarder?

Kareem Campbell, PJ Lad, Mark Appleyard.

What was your favourite skate company growing up?

Menace, Kareem Campbell’s old label, he had the best styles and pop. When I was 14 I went to a demo he was riding in. He gave me a World Industries deck and said I should ride for the distributor here in Japan. Kareem was the reason I got sponsored.

Favorite skate spot?

Kugenuma.

What do you like about skateboarding?

That it’s limitless and so creative. It really makes you use your imagination.

What don’t you like about skateboarding?

Video and interview deadlines, especially video. It’s stressful when my body is really fucked but I have to keep pushing to make a trick for the camera.

Anything you want to add?

Check out www.ifoskateboard.com to see what’s going on. I’m always updating and uploading.

IFO decks are available  from The Learning Curve on K’Rd, Auckland, New Zealand. Check the IFO website for skateboard retailers across Japan.

With these things in check I was ready to paint the god of art, music and knowledge, Saraswati.

In my past experience painting murals, once you get going it’s more or less straightforward. Not the case in Varanasi. I realised this on my first day painting, arriving to find a kid shaving men’s heads right in front on the spot I was going to paint. A long line of scantily clad moustached men waited to be freed of hair for some greater purpose. Despite my pleas they were not going to relocate, so in true Indian fashion the hairdresser and I worked back to back. He stepping in my paint, I trodding in his pile of black hairs (which inevitably got in to my paint and was eventually encrusted in the mural).

Then there was the crowd. Some people in India seem to have a different idea about personal space than what I’m used to. Often I felt a breath on my neck and would turn around to find a crowd of men gathered, uncomfortably close. “Oh yes very nice,” “God bless you,” they would say with sideways head wobbles. At times they could be annoying, stating the obvious, critiquing or even trying to take my brush and make alterations themselves, but I met some of the nicest, open and most hospitable men painting that bright orange wall. Most of the bystanders offered nothing but praise, Chai, and even a little statue of Ganesh that sat next to our paints, offering divine inspiration. Several newspapers and even a radio station visited. We made the second page of the Hindustan Times and in true journalistic fashion they fabricated half of what we actually said.

Beggars and pushers I expected, tugging on my t-shirt, distracting me from my work with “Hey mun, you from country? Want something?” But I did not expect animals. Turned out a cow was a frequent visitor to the spot as he washed the dishes of a near by food stall with his slobbery tongue. More than once my Slovakian painting companion Stefan had to chase it out of our paints. Then there were the ducks who liked to walk around my ankles.

Beggars, pushers and animals can be dealt with a raised voice and angry gestures but there is no scaring away the heat and smell of Varanasi. Summer was approaching and with the temperature rising so did the stench. Varanasi is holy not only because of Shiva but because it’s where people go to die, or rather to be cremated. Not cremated in a behind closed doors, first world sense, but out in the open, on piles of wood, for all to see, 24 hours a day. Our mural happened to be located about 200 metres from where the bodies are burned, and if the wind was blowing down river the smoke and smell from the pyre wafted through the air.

Still it wasn’t that bad til I got food poisoning.

The first bout came on after just one day of painting. I had just laid an under coat when I was forced to retire to my hotel. For four days I lay in bed, occasionally getting up from long stupors to dispel anything I tried to put in. Even water would not stay down. Shitting and vomiting at the same time can be an enlightening experience. Needless to say a sure way to lose a lot of weight very quickly.

On the 5th day, after sleeping for more than 24 hours straight I decided to get up and paint. I took some painkillers, forced down some lentil soup and got to it. Four days later I was finished painting and found myself in hospital being pumped full of liquid and nutrients. Unable to hold any food or water, then painting like I was possessed had put me in bad shape. My blood pressure dropped dangerously low to a point where I could not get out of bed. With the aid of my girlfriend I got to a doctor who immediately hooked me to an IV, pumping me full of liquid vitamins and antibiotics.

Still it was worth it, even after all that. Not because I left my mark on Varanasi, but for the experience and opportunity to paint in that most sacred of places. A week after I left Varanasi Stefan was forced to paint over my portion of the mural anyway. Despite being approved it apparently didn’t sit with the mythology the mural was supposed to depict. I was reminded of a very important lesson and ancient Indian proverb, one that the country seems to reverbrate. “Everything is temporary and the only constant is change.”

Nothing is exempt from this rule, not our artwork, not ourselves.

Check out more murals in India here.

Stepping off the bus at the tourist mecca Koh San Road I was immediately attacked by a gang of water pistol wielding kids. I ran in to a 7 Eleven (nowhere is safe from 7 Elevens either), and the staff were wrapping the registers and surveillance cameras in glad wrap. Confused, I asked around as to what was going on and in disbelief ran to my usual backpackers under a barrage of water.

For three days and nights the whole country, from old ladies to lady boys seem to knock off work and take to the streets for urban water warfare and festivities. Water guns, buckets, fire hoses, basically whatever you can wield is a weapon, music blares from crackling speakers, and whiskey is passed around like wine.

Songkran is Thai New Year, celebrated in mid April, the hottest time of year. The water acts not only as a relief from the sweltering heat but as a kind of cleansing ritual. Traditionally Thais would head out to the monasteries and pour small cups of water over Buddha statues to purify them for the new year, and less one’s family. People would also ceremoniously pour small cups of water over each other for the same reason. Over the years the tradition evolved to what it is today… soggy, merry madness.

Emilie was born in California, moved to North Carolina, learned Spanish volunteering in Mexico, then after attending University in Chile made the move to Japan. That was seven years ago, and in that time she has put on literally hundreds of events under the Parties 4 Peace banner, not only providing a good night or weekend away for hundreds of Tokyonites but in turn raising awareness and precious dollars for dozens of causes from Africa to South America. Last year P4P was behind bringing New Zealand’s own Rhombus to the land of the rising sun. This year Chilean DJ Francisco Allendes visited Japan for the first time. All thanks to Parties 4 Peace, and all in aid of saving Patagonia from greedy developers. Sideroom.com recently caught up with Emilie for a chat about politics, peace and Tokyo parties.

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND P4P?
Parties for Peace was founded in 2002 to raise awareness about important issues while fundraising for peace projects around the world. I thought it was a great way to bring together producers, artists and activists in one place and promote peace through music and dance.

DO YOU FOCUS ON ONE PARTICULAR CAUSE?
We focus on various causes each year, depending on the necessity and current socio-political situation in the world.

THERE ARE A LOT OF CAUSES IN THE WORLD IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE RIGHT, HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHERE THE PROFITS FROM P4P WILL GO?
For example, when there was a crisis in Kenya two years ago, we reacted with a fundraiser for a non-violent peace force in Kenya to hold locally organised workshops in their communities. These initiatives are important, but they often require funds that the local organisations are unable to provide in time. We offer the funding for these projects through our parties and also aim to raise awareness about these issues at our events.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CAUSE IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW AND WHY?
Recently I am focusing most of our fundraising on the Patagonia Project, which involves an artist exchange between Chilean and Japanese producers and DJs, while fundraising to support local NGOs in their mission to make Patagonia a World Heritage Site recognised by UNESCO. Climate change and damage from multi-national corporations with no regard for environmental protection is leaving the nature in Patagonia at a high-risk of being destroyed forever. For a person who loves the outdoors, I think it is important to act now and take immediate action towards preserving the nature in South America.

IS THERE A NEED FOR MORE PRODUCTIONS SUCH AS YOURS IN TOKYO? AND FOR THAT MATTER GREATER WESTERN WORLD?
I think that Parties for Peace is still a new idea, but I have found that people really appreciate the effort and it has become more popular in Tokyo during the past two years. Various artists in Japan have played our events for free, and we have been lucky enough to have important live acts from the UK, such as Thabani last year and also Rhombus from New Zealand, who came to Japan for their first Asian tour, organised by Parties 4 Peace. I think the Parties 4 Peace idea is also catching on, as other friends of mine, such as Dave Twomey from England, has been organizing parties called HELP! which are fundraising events for other organisations.

WHAT’S YOUR OPINION ON THE CONSERVATION MOVEMENT IN JAPAN? DO YOU THINK JAPANESE PEOPLE ARE VERY CONSCIOUS OF GLOBAL ISSUES AND PROBLEMS?
After organising a bike ride for sustainability as the National Co-ordinator for the Bicycle for Everyone’s Earth (BEE) team in 2004, I travelled the length of Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa, holding environmental events in various cities throughout the island country. I learned that many Japanese people are truly interested in environmental issues and want to make a difference to create a healthier environment for future generations. However, I think that over-consumption is a huge problem, not only in Japan but in the United States, Canada and other countries around the world. The amount of natural resources used to meet the demand for the amount of consumption in many countries is not enough. We need to focus on living more sustainable lives and using less resources as a whole.

BEING ‘CONSCIOUS’ AND ‘ECO-FRIENDLY’ SEEMS TO BE BECOMING VOGUE AND MAINSTREAM AGAIN. DO YOU THINK WE COULD HAVE A REPEAT OF THE 1960s OR DO YOU THINK IT’S SOMETHING DIFFERENT? SUPERFICIAL?
Being ‘eco-friendly’ is definitely becoming a catch phrase. Companies like Shell (Oil) are abusing the term by saying that they are eco-friendly, when in reality they have oil spills in India and various other countries around the world where they have done nothing to clean up their mess or take care of the local communities who have been affected by contaminated drinking water, etc… I don’t consider their energy related eco-friendly practices to be legitimate. However, I do think it is a step in the right direction to support eco-friendly activities and companies who have socially responsible projects. The number of people who are paying attention to the eco side of business is increasing, however I do think we should all make a more concentrated effort to create a sustainable world by making the small steps in our own lives to be more eco-friendly. To keep this trend from becoming superficial, I also think we should encourage companies to make a positive difference on a global scale and publicly report their environmental practices.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE INGREDIENTS FOR A GOOD PARTY?
Good music + Good people + Positive action.

WHAT’S A GOOD NIGHT OUT IN TOKYO FOR YOU?
Going out in Tokyo is one of the best parts about living in a huge and diverse city. A good night out for me usually includes a nice meal with friends, drinks and great music. There are so many talented artists in Tokyo that often it is hard to choose one event to attend, but the diversity of the city keeps me moving and continually networking with people who are also doing great projects involving top artists from around the world. Mostly, I enjoy the social aspect of going out – meeting new people and hanging out with good friends.

HOW CAN PEOPLE SUPPORT WHAT YOU DO?
The best way to support Parties 4 Peace is to attend our events! We are always looking for people who are interested in volunteering, doing publicity or performing as an artist (visuals / music / live art etc) so we welcome all kinds of people to get involved. We also have some great sponsors who support what we do, and we are always happy to meet new people who are interested to offer their goods or services to support our projects.

ANY WORDS OF WISDOM OR ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE ME?
Parties 4 Peace was started on one simple idea – “Be the Change you want to see in the World!” Ghandi

UPCOMING PARTIES 4 PEACE EVENTS

JANUARY 22 – 24 ALPINE TECH FEST
@ the Alpine Lodge in Minakami

JANUARY 29 (FRI) P4P presents “FLY”
@ Favela in Aoyama

FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 08 PATAGONICA TOUR
Chile and Argentina, South America
with DJ Ryo Tsutsui from Tokyo, Japan

Find out more about Parties 4 Peace here.

Head from the landmark obelisk towards Congress House, and the scars of the 2001 revolt in which tens of thousands marched the streets are still evident in a cracked headstone for deceased demonstrators, embedded in the sidewalk. As long and as far as you walk you’ll be hard pressed to find a street void of political graffiti. Slogans like ‘Fuck Capitalisimo’ and ‘Viva Eva’ are scrawled across every paintable surface, from storefronts to bus stops to the ground you walk on. It is in this context, these streets, that the seeds of much political reform have been sown. Outside the white walls of Galleries Argentinian artists have long understood that their work can serve as a powerful tool towards change.

Though of course everyone’s creative motivation varies greatly, many individual artists and collectives choose to make work that has the potential to communicate alternative political and social ideals rather than win prizes, heighten stature or sell for a profit. Iconoclasistas is one such group at the forefront of this movement. Describing themselves as a “Counter Hegemonic Resources and Communication Lab,” Pablo and his partner Julia compose Iconoclasistas from the study of their modest home on the outskirts of Buenos Aires city. Taking time off from their day jobs in social communications and graphic design, they have undertaken a project to create a ‘Collective Atlas’ of Argentina and its neighbouring countries.

Travelling between Argentina, Paraguay, Peru, Lima and Brazil, they hold  ‘Collective Mapping Workshops,’ meeting with social movements, neighbourhood assemblies, student organisations, fair trade networks, social and environmental groups, teachers, gender commissions and committees for memory. Iconoclasistas’ ‘mapping’ encourages participation in a creative, playful, open and uncensored dialogue, in turn offering a “proposal for change and transformation.”

From newspapers, subversive little stickers and flyers to beautifully illustrated posters, everything they produce is distributed and can be downloaded for free. Even if you don’t speak Spanish it’s obvious that they have an agenda far beyond creating pretty pictures.

Read this interview in Español
HOW AND WHY DID THE ICONOCLASISTAS MOVEMENT COME INTO BEING?

We began work with the Iconoclasistas in 2006. It had been years since the revolt of December 2001 where there was a strong emergence of counter cultural art and media groups which were added to the already established political art movements that had been developing since the nineties, working mainly with street interventions.

Iconoclasistas had a growth process that we view as three separate but articulated moments.

The first step was to produce artwork for free circulation, appropriation and use, which was printed and uploaded to the website with creative commons licenses. That’s how we were able to produce The Yearbook ‘Anuario Volante,’ stickers, T shirts and posters “for spreading an imaginary resistance,” revipósters “to promote a rebel world view providing perspective on various rural and urban issues,” signage and interventions “to encourage an iconography of agitation” and travelling exhibits “to occupy private and public spaces.” We never work in isolation, as all resources are supplemented by other modes of political action and reverberate in the practices of peers.

In a second stage of work, which began in 2008 and continues in 2009, we began brainstorming / investigative workshops to investigate collective problems and resistances. So we organised the ‘Agit Pop Tour’ where we travel to different cities of Argentina (Bahia Blanca, Chaco, Cordoba, Neuquen, Rosario, Buenos Aires), Peru (Lima) and Spain (Barcelona). Workshops and displays are organised with peers of collective communication, political art and cultural centres. The show was a pretext to bring people to see how important it was to hold brainstorming / investigative workshops as a forum for production of critical knowledge through socialisation of knowledge, skills and experiences that circumvents the general world view. These trips, workshops, exhibitions and talks enabled us to create and deepen bonds of solidarity and action among different peers across the country. This created a network of contacts that go beyond geographical boundaries and resonates and grows from mutual concerns and reinforces the need for common action.

And finally a third stage where we begin to create resources in collaboration with other groups. Thus arose the last printed document, produced alongside the Collective of Common History, which we call ‘The Arbolazo. A genealogy of popular uprisings in Argentina.’

YOUR WORK IS HEAVILY LOADED WITH SOCIAL / POLITICAL MESSAGES, IS THIS IN ORDER TO EDUCATE AND CHANGE ATTITUDES?

Our main objective is to communicate an ideal horizon of practice, produce some commotion (material, subjective) that leads to action. Although we understand that some of our work is pedagogical, we do not believe in political practice as an enlightened vanguard has to ‘educate the people’ to be mobilised. On the contrary, we consider ourselves part of a vast network of action and resistance, and action from the communication, graphics, research and creative design tools by providing the resources so each one of us can use these tools, as is convenient.

DO YOU THINK THE IDEALS CONVEYED IN YOUR WORK IS SHARED BY MANY ARGENTINES?

We’d like to think so, but seeing the reality of our country we know that what prevails is individualism, a consumerist spirit and desire to earn more money. On the other hand there are many people who are organised, doing things (culture free, fair trade networks, committed intellectuals, alternative media outlets, self-organised neighbourhoods with libraries, schools, etc). These are activated from different levels to participate in the development of alternative ways of thinking and fostering emancipation.

DO YOU GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK? NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE?

Yes, there is plenty of exchange. Alot of our material flows through the web (it is downloaded all over the world, which brings down borders) and we see our work reproduced or recreated in neighbourhood publications, by university and secondary students, unemployed movements and social-environmental assemblies. Whenever we have new material we email this to our database and that mail is usually re-disseminated in one endless spiral. In the last three years we have had more positive feedback than negative, the negative is almost always in reference to ideological differences.

DO YOU SEE THE VISUAL ARTS AS A MEANS TO COMMUNICATE UNCONVENTIONAL IDEAS?

We are attracted by the possibilities offered by images as a medium to convey political meanings. We emphasise that visual communication underpinned by a process of investigation and conceptualisation of problems is key. We almost never use images alone, always accompanying them with texts, information resources, recommended links etc. But we understand the power of images to create meeting and interest points with others.

CAN YOU NAME SOME PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE AND INFLUENCE YOUR LIFE AND WORK?

We take inspiration from many different sources; from movies, art books, comic books, even the hardest words by academic thinkers, historians, essayists. We are also inspired by those that activate in their day to day spaces. We take inspiration from the ancient culture of our region, of native peoples and their resistance of 500 years. Everything inspires us, for better or worse, it would be unfair to name names because we always fall short!

CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME ADVICE?

Stay awake, critical, and active in whatever space you occupy.

Translation from Spanish by Alex Patterson

For more on Iconoclasistas, visit iconoclasistas.com.ar

Reports of the journeys, photos and accounts of activities of the ‘Collective Atlas’ project can be found HERE

Iconoclasistas en Español

¿Cómo, cuándo y por qué la Iconoclasistas llegado a ser?

Con iconoclasistas comenzamos a trabajar en el año 2006. Ya habían pasado varios años desde la rebelión de diciembre 2001 donde hubo un fuerte surgimiento de colectivos contra culturales, artísticos y de comunicación, que se sumaron a las acciones que ya venían desarrollando desde los años noventa otros colectivos de arte político que trabajaron con escraches e intervenciones callejeras.

Con iconoclasistas tuvimos un proceso de crecimiento de la práctica que lo pensamos como tres momentos articulados. Una primer etapa donde nos propusimos producir material gráfico de libre circulación, apropiación y uso, que fue impreso y subido al sitio web con licencias creative commons. Así fue como producimos: el “anuario volante” para apropiarnos de estadísticas populares; “sticker, remeras y afiches” para difundir un imaginario de resistencia; “revipósters desplegables” para fomentar una cosmovisión rebelde brindando panoramas sobre diferentes problemáticas rurales y urbanas; “señalética e intervenciones” para estimular una iconografía de agitación y “muestras itinerantes” para ocupar espacios privados y públicos. Nunca trabajamos aislados, pues todos los recursos se complementan con otros modos de acción política y reverberan en las prácticas de compañeros/as.

En una segunda etapa de trabajo, que empezó en el 2008 y continúa en 2009, comenzamos a realizar talleres de mapeo colectivo de problemáticas y resistencias. Así organizamos la “gira agit pop” donde viajamos por distintas ciudades de la Argentina (Bahía Blanca, Chaco, Córdoba, Neuquén, Rosario, Ciudad de Buenos Aires), de Perú (Lima) y España (Barcelona). Los talleres y la muestra los organizamos junto a compañeros/as de colectivos de comunicación, arte político o centros culturales. La muestra era un pretexto para convocar a la gente pues lo importante era trabajar los talleres de mapeo como instancia de producción de conocimiento crítico mediante la socialización de conocimientos, saberes y experiencias que eluda el saber especializado. Estos viajes, talleres, muestras y charlas nos permitieron crear y profundizar lazos de solidaridad y acción entre diferentes compañeros/as en todo el país. Así se fue generando un red de contactos sin centro que desborda las fronteras geográficas y que resuena y se multiplica a partir de inquietudes y formas de acción comunes. Y finalmente un tercer momento donde comenzamos a crear recursos en colaboración con otros colectivos. Así surgió el último impreso, elaborado junto al colectivo de historia vulgar, que llamamos “El Arbolazo. Una genealogía de las revueltas populares en Argentina”.

Su trabajo es muy cargado con los interlocutores sociales / mensajes políticos, ¿está usted con el fin de educar y cambiar las mentalidades?

Nuestro objetivo principal es comunicar y en un horizonte ideal de práctica, producir alguna conmoción (material, subjetiva) que lleve a la acción. No nos planteamos lo pedagógico como base, aunque entendemos que algo de eso hay en nuestro trabajo, pero no creemos en la práctica política como una vanguardia iluminada que tiene que “educar al pueblo” para que se movilice. Por el contrario, nos consideramos parte de una inmensa red de acción y resistencia, y accionamos desde la comunicación, la gráfica, la investigación y el diseño de herramientas creativas poniendo a disposición los recursos para que cada unx lo active de la manera que le parezca más conveniente.

¿Cree usted que los ideales transmitidos en su trabajo son compartidos por muchos argentinos?

Nos gustaría pensar que sí, aunque viendo la realidad de nuestro país sabemos que lo que prevalece es el individualismo, el espíritu consumista y el deseo de ganar cada vez más dinero, sino la realidad sería distinta, ¿no te parece?. Por otra parte hay mucha gente organizada, haciendo cosas (cultura libre, redes de comercio justo, intelectuales comprometidos, medios alternativos de información, barrios auto-organizados con bibliotecas, escuelas, etc.) activando desde diferentes planos para intervenir en la elaboración de alternativas emancipatorias.

¿Recibe un montón de feed back? negativas y positivas?

Sí, hay mucho intercambio. El material circula mucho vía web (se baja por distintas partes del mundo, las fronteras se anulan!) y nosotrxs lo vemos reproducido o recreado en publicaciones barriales, de estudiantes universitarios o secundarios, de movimientos de desocupados o asambleas socio ambientales. Cada vez que tenemos un nuevo material enviamos un mail a una lista que tenemos y generalmente ese mail se re-difunde en un espiral sin fin. En estos tres años hemos tenido más feedback positivos que negativos, y los negativos siempre se refieren a diferencias ideológicas.

¿Ves las artes visuales como medio para comunicar ideas no convencionales?

Nos atrae las posibilidades que brindan las imágenes para comunicar sentidos políticos. Hacemos hincapié en la comunicación visual sustentada en un proceso de investigación y conceptualización de problemáticas. Casi nunca usamos las imágenes solas, siempre van acompañadas de textos, fuentes de información, links recomendados, etc. Pero somos conscientes de la potencia de lo visual para generar puntos de encuentro e interés con otros.

¿Puedes nombrar algunas personas que inspirar e influir en su vida y de trabajo?

Nos inspiramos de fuentes muy diferentes, desde las películas de cine, los libros de arte, los comics, hasta las textos más duros, más académicos de pensadores, historiadores, ensayistas. También nos inspiran las personas que activan en sus espacios en el día a día. La cultura ancestral de nuestra región, la de los pueblos originarios y su resistencia de 500 años. Todo nos inspira, para bien o mal, sería injusto dar nombres porque siempre nos quedaríamos cortos!.

¿Me puede dar algún consejo?

Mantenerse despierto, crítico y activo en cualquier espacio donde se participe.

Though we really should feel compassionate, as we kill 100 million of them every year. Compare that with one fatal shark attack in all of 2007 and it kind of puts things in perspective. The really sad thing is that many sharks are killed for nothing more than their fin. The shark is caught, its fin removed, then still alive the animal is thrown back in to the water to drown. The fin ends up as ‘Shark Fin Soup,’ sold in Chinese restaurants around the world.

PangeaSeed is a recently formed non-profit grassroots organisation based in Tokyo. Their aim is to educate and raise awareness of the shark’s predicament through art and activism. On July 30th, 2009 I had the opportunity to take part in their first major event at SuperDeluxe in Roppongi, entitled No Fin No Future. Conservation fundraisers are notorious for being either celebrity hipster schmooze fests or dull hippie blowouts. No Fin No Future was neither. Incorporating live painting and music, dance, film, an art exhibition and talks from both Shark Angels and The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society representatives. It was a visual feast that no doubt opened hearts and minds whilst raising money for a much deserving cause.

Talking to Tre Packard, PangeaSeed’s co-founder he clearly had aesthetics in mind when creating the event. “We felt it was important to share the message that we distilled from all of the discussions and we felt the best way to do so was via elements we personally know and love such as art, film, music, photography and design with the end goal of creating a new breed of environmental movement. We truly believe those creative elements transcend borders, languages and cultures, and tend to encourage positive and responsible participation.”

Work from over 40 internationally renowned artists graced the walls at No Fin No Future. Such greats as Kozyndan, Elena Gallen, Rhys Cooper and David Kinsey all created and donated especially for the event. When asked how he got so many talented individuals from around the globe to contribute to a wildly unrecognized cause Tre replied, “I just said to myself ‘what the hell’ and made attempts to contact my heroes in the art world and ask for their support regarding PangeaSeed and this important issue. The response was overwhelming.” It goes to show that most people, given the opportunity (famous artists included) really do want to help make a difference and fix what we are collectively fucking. In my opinion it just takes the right approach. Things like conservation need be up on people’s priority lists, next to staying fashion conscious and getting a cultural fix. If you can combine all three into one evening like No Fin No Future you’re onto a good thing.

Clip from PangeaSeed

The original Jaws trailer

For more information on PangeaSeed and shark conservation check out these links:

www.pangeaseed.com
Pangeaseed on MySpace
Find PangeaSeed on Facebook
www.saveourseas.com
www.sharkangels.org

- Yongfook, Web Producer

I have never been one for public speaking. Though, I have also never been one to say ‘no.’ So when invited to present at Tokyo Pecha Kucha Night I accepted my fate and said “Of course, great, would love to” …somewhat reluctantly. The task of creating 20 slides to represent the last five years of Sideroom.com was no easy one, let alone speaking about it in front of hundreds of people. But hey, “I’ll just get drunk” I thought.

Pecha Kucha is an evening comprised of around 14 speakers, each given the chance to show 20 slides, with 20 seconds to talk about each, a total of 6 minutes, 40 seconds. No more, no less, then it’s on to the next. Artists, designers, conservationists and architects can all potentially share the stage. Though the topics vary, from concrete structures to abstract concepts, everyone is bound to be from some creative field.

The first Pecha Kucha happened in Tokyo in 2003. Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Klein Dytham Architecture conceived the evening as a place for “…young designers to meet, network and show their work.” A mere six years later, Pecha Kucha has already spread to over 200 cities around the globe, a number that is constantly rising. What is really interesting is that they have never sent out a press release or asked anyone to initiate, organise or run a Pecha Kucha Night. It has spread purely through word of mouth and the internet.

Its success could perhaps be accredited to the format. Having 20 slides, 20 seconds for each with no Q&A to follow means presenters must really make the most of their time. If a presentation doesn’t take your fancy it’s not a long wait for the next. Then if that doesn’t hold your attention it’s a casual enough atmosphere to start a hushed conversation, or take short walk to the bar.

Unfortunately for me I made that walk one too many times, all in an effort to dull my nerves. I had reasoned with myself that surely it’s better to be slurring and swaying than stuttering and shaking. The last thing I wanted was to be the guy who’s painful to watch, voice breaking, uncomfortable silences. I’d already been him in high school. So the previous night I’d written reasonably concise notes, timed myself and had it all planned. I’d have some drinks, follow my notes and be a tower of confidence. The thing is I’d forgotten that when I drink, I forget. I also exaggerate, mumble and lie (as I learned listening to the recording). So my best laid plans for a 6 minute 40 second past, present and future run down of Sideroom.com turned into an incomprehensible babble by a drunk guy. I even forgot to put down my beer bottle. Though on the up side I did get some laughs, and after my presentation a lot of people did approach me to talk about Sideroom.com. Mostly initiated by something like, “So what exactly is Sideroom? All I got from your presentation is that you have lots of parties.”

What I originally planned to do was an awesome speech, record it, synchronise it with my slides and then upload it for one and all to witness on the internet. Now I can’t even bear the sound of my own voice and am way to embarrassed let anyone hear it. So I’ll upload the slides for you minus my babbling, and let the images speak for themselves. I am also laying off the booze, I always say that after a heavy night but this time I am. The point being that you shouldn’t need booze to speak in public. Especially at Pecha Kucha. It’s actually not that scary, once you’re up there. It’s the anticipation that’s the killer.