July 2001, 35 posts, 1130 lines
Nato Thompson wrote:
This is the shocking insight the Dept. of Public Art has dropped on us!
Wow! I hope that in the future they do a public project where cute animals are chained to lamp posts on street corners so that we will have the experience of getting to pet and play with koalas, monkeys, poodles and dolphins on our lunch breaks! Additional future projects could deal with other universal phenomena, such as that people like to get free food.
Nato's following points are more serious and interesting than I am capable of being right now. But I will try later....
Marc
On Mon, 2 Jul 2001, Jno Cook wrote:
Jno I don't understand how you can live in a world that only permits less than 16K. Even Fred Camper allows people to send up to 32K. We are talking about Public Art and the city's vision which means that it necessarily takes up a lot of space because you've gotta plop it down everywhere. But yeah, you're right, I didn't delete the quoted text.
Best to visit the group archives.
Marc
So, what happen to the other group ? Was Nato to hard to swallow ? Was Marc too good to be true? Was it too much theory ? Are these acts too hard to follow ? Now I know why this town loves little knick knacks and funny little objects and easy paintings in their art shows. Is it just because we don't have anything to say ? Is it just because we don't want to get in trouble ?
Are we really that easy ? Is it all true ? Maybe I'm wrong but I think we can do better than that !
Pedro
well Pedro, I don't know about everyone else, but I went to NY for a long holiday weekend. And, I might add, bad public art exists in NY as well -- it takes place this summer in the form of an exhibit in one of the downtown parks called "I love Taxi" (love spelled with a heart).
Just imagine -- painted taxis instead of painted cows (which NY also had last year by the way). It is unspeakable. It's rediculous. What's crazy is that P.S.1 is condoning this work by letting the artist design its cafe. Also strange, is that there is a Tobias Rheberger (sp?) in the same park -- a small japanese garden that, as the signage states, creates snow intermitantly in the summer.
My friend and I sat for a while, but there was no snow. It wasn't very impressive, but it is a nice place to sit for a moment. And, I had a dream that night that it snowed there in the park....anyway, Creative Time curated an exhibit in the Anchorage under the Brooklyn Bridge which IS pretty impressive -- maybe the space is more impressive than the work, but two pieces in particular worked well in the unique interior of the anchorage.
Erwin Redl's wall/grid of LEDs accentuated the massive structure (also a good place to skate my friend added) and Anney Bonney & Liz Phillips created a video and sound interactive piece that reflects the way sound is affected by architecture such as the bridge. On a side note, I was unimpressed with the newmuseum's mediaZ lounge -- it's new foray into the digital art world. It's basically a handfull of computer stations that allow the visitor to view certain chosen web art pieces.
There was also a row of punching-bag-on-its-side looking seats and two plasma screens that weren't showing anything.
Guess I expected too much. so, back to the public art debate...
On Fri, 6 Jul 2001, Pedro Velez wrote:
Hey Pedro;
we all went on vacation at the same time.
/jno
SATURDAY NIGHT PARTY IN FRONT OF THE REAL WORLD HOUSE 11PM!!!!
invite everyone you know, 1940 w. north ave. lets have some fun!
Many Chicagoans are trying to stop production of the Real World which is being filmed in Wicker Park. There are a variety of reasons from the antipathy for MTV, the perpetual mediation of culture, the bogus presentation of reality, and................ whatev!
Come on down and have a ball!!!!!
boy you people really don't have anything better to do, do you?
yo nato, next time give some advance notice or call or something. hope you are well.
Keri
What do you mean "you people"? and what would you constitute as something better?
I really would appreciate it if this group was not used to make rude remarks such as this. By the way, I think Nato has some of the most compelling ideas and projects to add to this city. thank you
keri
Why rain on other people's parades? Re: my snottiness, fine, mea maxima culpa, but why not also return the OtherGroup to its more interesting role as either an advocate for the concerns of local artists (which are myriad and complex) or as a forum of discussion of current issues that color and characterize today's contemporary art production. Why not constructively critique or analyze some of the shows that happen in town or at least create a zone for exchange of ideas about the work on display? The quality and level of exchange about the art made in this city deserves better than it gets and the OtherGroup could be a interesting place for that to happen.
I'm not criticizing Nato's artistic contributions, merely his choice of cultural entities to get riled up about.
As Sinead O'Connor once said, "Fight the REAL Power."
But on the other hand, not much information was given about this protest, which from the description sounded like some confused party/protest.
Furthermore, the given reasons for the protest seem pretty lightweight ones to go out and protest. If you want to invite people to protest the MTV Real World house, I think you have to have some pretty sound reasons for doing so.
Otherwise, think of a more intelligent way of addressing overmediated culture and fake reality shows. A protest seems the least effective and interesting to me.
Secondly, on this discussion forum, people may get testy, they may get aggressive--and Dominic is BY FAR not the first person to do so. But disagreement is part of the forum. If Dominic can't say what he said, then can
Nato put up what he put up? From my point of view there's no difference between the two postings. Dominic has a viewpoint about a protest of the Real World house and Nato has a viewpoint about the Real World house, that's it. You can disagree or agree with either of them.
Lorelei Stewart
Perhaps we're not aware of the residual effects that the Real World has had on our material world. Inspired by all these reality shows, the owner of the Flat Iron building is wiring the building with cameras and will be broadcasting it on the web and a giant TV screen on the street.
We artists can not sit by and let our creativity be bought and sold without our permission or compensation.
-Steve Anderson
This is true-the description/invitation was unclear and last minute.
And I do think, as Lorelei states, that there are probably more interesting (and effective) ways to to critically examine(and protest). I have had many conversations about the real world lately stemming from the odd fact that the cool oufitting of the house also includes the curating of contemporary art for the real world walls. Several local artists have work in the space and will for the duration.
Personally, I find that fascinating. What a fantastic conflation--when someone wants to market cool to a young audience somehow they even included contemporary art in the lay-out, (diesel jeans, open "euro" kitchens, oakley sunglasses, cool sneakers, an even cooler neighborhood...and a painting.. wait! what the hell!!!!!!) (i always wanted to be cool...) ....and how about the possibility that i would maybe have acqaintances on the outside(protesting?) and on the inside (background stuff ) ....did my real just get realer or what? also dominic's 2nd paragraph in his last email is right on---can we talk about work sometime? maybe specifically? an applied conversation could be good. lots of shows this past weekend--how about that group show at thomas mcormick's? or cyber porn at j. friedman? or standard or joymore? or fassbender --or the summer show at mm ...
i feel some of these show have some interesting problems and some have not so interesting problems, and some are really dismissable. Just to start us off-here are some issues-- bit streams wanna-be -ness, a show of 16 women, the porn/art line, cheesy and empty umbrella themes..--theres lots in there to argue about.. regarding the use of the group and manner of positngs-- people have to be able to say what they want in whatever manner they use to communicate. its disturbing when there are these attempts to control responses. Calling a person's posting rude is just as aggressive as the original posting was. its just a little on the more passive side of agressive.
danielle
I don't understand the fuss about Real World - it's just a TV show, and the crews are much less intrusive than other movies and commercials and videos that are shot in the neighborhood all the time. Maybe it has something to do with their attempts at secrecy.
On the other hand, the fuss and Saturday's protest is an interesting cultural event in itself. I only wish I had gotten the text of the flyer, passed out at Wicker Park clubs, in time to post it broadly :
-EXTRAS NEEDED!
-Attend a party at
-The Real World
-1931 W. North Ave.
-Tonight, Saturday July 14, 11pm.
-MTV®
An excellent strategy.
I know a couple of low-level crew members, and their take on the protest is concern that it scares the confused young kids of the cast.
michael
Actually, I am not surprised at the dismissive comments regarding a demo of the Real World. I suppose it might come off as quite trivial and shall I say....... dorky?
But alas, I am a full supporter. And I am ever so glad to hear that Dominic is down with movement. If the question is........... is it effective to confront mediated culture through a demo at the Real World home? Well, I am simply glad that people are coming to the fore to address concerns in a more direct, revolutionary manner. If Domininic doesn't feel this is very effective, I would like him to give an example of something he is doing that is far more impressive and substantial. I suppose that is fair enough.
I must admit, the Real World demo took little effort and was actually extremely entertaining. I don't actually hold a lot of sympathy for MTV so it's not as though giving them a hard time is actually a waste of time. I suppose my time would be better spent going to galleries? Or how about a bar? I mean lets not take the amount of time dedicated to this endeavor too seriously. It was quite flip and ended up being "good for the community".
As for a critique of mediated culture, I think somehow going after NSYNC is completely ludicrous. I think it would be pretty easy to go after something that is targeted to 15 year old audiences and is about as easy to denigrate as Cows on Parade. It also somehow gives the impression that the problem with television or the music industry is its lack of substantial content. That is EXACTLY the wrong idea. Anyone who reads Chicago's heroic Baffler can tell you that the commodification of counter culture has completely dissipated content as some arbitor of quality. Ideas and substance are only shallow veneers for not so complex systems of domination. To bring this back to the Real World....... I think that if one is given a brief opportunity to poke a hole in the hegemonic reign of commodified counter culture without too much effort, why not take it?
I do like all the comments and.... I am glad to see so many people concerned about addressing issues of spectacle on a more substantial level. I say we get to work!
nato
... I think the idea of having the house besides the Currency Exchange is pretty ballsy on MTV's part. I'm also glad that finally, someone from the mainstream thinks Chicago is cool enough to do an MTV show. Why kick them out if it is good for all of us ? The last time I saw something cool on Chicago was in Brian de Palma's The Untochables.
It would be great if the energy spent on a trivial pursuit ( like protesting or arguing about the REal World ) could be focus on our art scene. Why put up with Serendipity or Edwardo Kac ? How can we make better art shows ? How can we stop Michael Weinstein from reviewing crap in New City ? How can we convince younger writers like Nato and others to be on top of what's happening in the Chicago art scene ? How can we talk Jeff Carter into being more consistent with his reviews for Flash Art ?...
I guess it is easier to o talk and go around and around trivial stuff than to spend some time and effort on the art produced, exhibited and curated in this town.
Anyway...it is OK to give MTV a hard time...just don't waste all your time in it
Pedro
Usually I just sit by and read the various postings. Always entertaining.
But I guess that in this one case, I just have to add my 2 cents. I'm 52 years old. My teenage children watch The Real World, the various other MTV reality shows, etc. All of them have strike me as artificial and profoundly unreal. The participants narcissistic and pathetically stereotyped. I always say to myself, however, that I was probably just as clueless when I was that age.
I tell my kids that the whole thing seems lame. But they ignore me. Good for them.
BUT... really, to protest this thing is even lamer. It's embarrassingly uncool. If you don't like the show, don't watch it. You're artists.
You should be above all this garbage. I mean, what is it that you're protesting? That you didn't get chosen? That you don't want these people representing you? Remember, if you protest, you're likely going to be on TV too. Is that what you want? Because that is even more uncool - to be an MTV Real Worlder wannabe.
I have an alternative suggestion. Read Seeing is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees, by Lawrence Weschler. Improve your minds. Stop watching so much TV.
Al Ravitz
Though I agree with your evaluation of MTV and TV in general, I disagree with the suggestion not to watch it. On some level we/you are supposed to be criticising/reflecting the society in which we live - it is important to experience it, no matter how distastful, offensive, stereotypical, banal, or benign it is. This is the visual imagery that we are competing with and sometimes draw from - it is a language that is useful to understand.
Conversely, MTV can be seen as the bastardization of a visual language from within the art world. It is important to understand that process as well. As for protesting the Real World house, why not - you can't read Lawrence Weschler all the time - why not spend a Friday night harassing others.
And to dismissively say just don't watch it if you don't like it... (This is an unfortunate and heavy handed comparison of MTV to something more significaqnt-forgive me, but you're 52, that would have made you 20 in 1969 - didn't you stick a flower in something offensive for the hell of it.)
jeff
Ignoring the commodification of cool is not cool.
The fact that the owner of the Flat Iron Building is putting up live cameras in his building's hallways without the residents' consent in hopes of profiting on their artsy-hip-tragic lives is more disturbing to me than the Real World. Although, I don't think anyone will tune in to watch the Flat Iron hallways online, he's planning his own "real world" show using nonconsenting people.
Nevertheless, what one person sees as a waste of time is not so to another. I could sit home on a saturday night and write an essay about some show I saw last week, but how is that more interesting, worthy or fun than a lighthearted protest of a ridiculous tv show? (I know, we need more writing about Chicago art. well, I'm not so good at it but I'll try - see below).
Also, it is important to note that Nato's problems with the show are very different from the surrounding residents' who are just pissed off about a loss of parking spaces. on a side note - disagreements are certainly acceptable on this list --and I would never try to control anyone's opinions. But I don't think that one-liner snide remarks in anyway constitute constructive criticism, or add anything insightful to a zone for exchange.
As for Art... For what it's worth, here's where I went Friday and what I thought:
1. Absolut Vision 6 : Art: the next generation not worth mentioning really. What does that mean anyway - the next generation? I couldn't even drink the vodka - it was too early.
2. SHU LEA CHEANG, SCIFI DIGI PORN and JUN'YA YAMAIDE, PROJECT No-20 at Julia Friedman Gallery While visually appealing with its digital design candy colors, I guess I'm just too prude to sit and look at porn with a bunch of people -- did anyone see the movie? I felt dirty leaving that exhibition -- was that the point? Why is this in a gallery and not in the xxx video store? by the way, I'm really glad that there's a gallery in town who's focus is new meda.
3. INTERFACE: EXPLORING POSSIBILITIES at Fassbender Gallery The problem with sound work is that the pieces tend to interfere with one-another -- then throw in an opening reception and it's just overwhelming. Remember the Donald Young show where Jeremy Bowle had an entire room with a door for his sound piece? That was great. The projection in the back room was a nice relief from the crowd - sorry, I can't remember the artist. I think that this exhibit is definitely worth visiting again when there aren't so many people. I'll write more when I do....
SERENDIPITY: Group Show at Thomas McCormick Gallery So, this is the exhibit of 16 women artists that was mentioned.....at least that wasn't stated in the title. I really liked Leslie Baum's paintings (there are two upstairs as well at Jan Cicero), but nothing really blew me away. ok, enough babbling...
keri
At 9:42 AM 7/17/01, Jeff Rhodes wrote:
beautiful
I'd planed to go back and really pay attention this time, before saying anything in public. but what the hell - we're all friends here and I will get back soon, to revise my opinion or to gather facts and details to build a barricade. Oprah-land on vodka night - the insurgence of insipid abstraction.
Twenty years ago there was a culture war in Chicago with the champions of quiet, thoughtful non-objective painting pitted against cartoonish imagists and their legacy. It wasn't a very interesting war , it was long ago and no-one really cares who won, but the crop of painting in group shows at Thomas McCormick and Jan Cicero during the Absolut-sponsored weekend indicates that it is the bastard spawn of both camps that have carried the day - nice colors and patterns with no content; no art-historical context, except maybe for the grab-and-recycle aspect of PM and no reason to look at them except that they are kinda pretty and sorta look like something that's selling well in New York.
michael
At 9:42 AM 7/17/01, Jeff Rhodes wrote:
On Tue, 17 Jul 2001, bulka wrote:
See [http://spaces.org/archive/bin/mower1.jpg]
/jno
Wow Keri! Thanks for the info, Bulka should watch out ! I was out of town during the weekend but I'll make sure to look and write about it... It has been a terrible summer, so many bad shows, is incredible !
PS: I didn't find the flower joke very funny, what were you talking about Jeff ?
Pedro
Jeff: It's nice (really) to be a cultural artifact (old hippie), although I don't really know if my generation's protests were any more or less significant than yours. And I'm all for popular cultural experience. I enjoy Buffy , The Enquirer, and most especially Missy Misdemeanor Eliot.
The point I was trying to make has more to do with the ubiquity and speed of co-optation these days. Given this fact, responsive activity requires originality and a certain aesthetic restraint. Publicly protesting the Real World is being the Real World. If that is what you want, more power to you.
Although as an old hippie, I'm not entirely crazy about the idea of harassing innocent beings, and one does have to possess a certain innocence (really) to buy into the whole Real World thing.
Al Ravitz
Alan-
There is no way that The Real World will ever air a protest against its own existence (or show how the actors were scared). The point of the action was not to be on MTV, but to show the people who are being gentrified, who are under surveillance and who are being co-opted that there is a community of resistance.
Oh, and jno- nice photo....
-Steve Anderson
I don't see how foolin' innocent people into a fake party has anything to do with resistance of the big brother... Since when are artists the ethical voice of America ?
Pedro
The sign up at Myopic "No Real World Filming Here", I first took to be an announcement of a safe zone. I liked it, even though I live and work in the neighborhood, walk by the house everyday, and have yet to see a field crew, let alone been harrassed by their presence. Then I read the second line - "Go back to the suburbs". This is a little sad. The bookstore only moved here a couple of years ago - where did they think they were going?
The loft condos of the aughts ARE the suburbs of the fifties.
Foolin' people was just a stategy, and now that I think about it, maybe a flawed one. Folks that would show up in response to an "Extras Wanted" posting probably wouldn't the ones most willing to protest.
But on to the bigger question - not "Since when are artists the ethical voice of America ?", but since when not? The Ab Ex guys certainly thought they were doing something spiritual (and, of course, were used by the system to demonstrate American freedom) not to mention loads of activist artists tying their wagons to every popular cause - Vietnam, racism, AIDS, feminism. What are we supposed to be now? Independant contractors? Entepreneurs? Talk about being co-opted!
What are we talking about here?
Who tried to fool innocent people into a fake party?
And, the issue was not how unobtrusive the Real World crew is -- who cares? (unless you live right there)
Also, while Joe (owner of Myopic) can be a bit harsh in his views, he did not just move to the neighborhood. He just moved to the location on Milwaukee a couple years ago, but he was in the neighborhood long before on Division.
So, let's talk more about artists as the voice of ethics...
Some thoughts.
RE: The cameras in the Flat Iron Building....
Upsetting and interesting both that it has come to this point where our private lives if seen as subversively intrusive/secretive then and as a result become our public interest. That is an interesting thing about us ("us" as in humanity).
Although ridiculous and full of commodification (blah bliddy blah) - instead I would beg artists to look at the cameras as the wonderful opportunity it can be to broadcast (free of charge) performance art/ interventions. It's interesting. I hope we find that out and see that up there, "live". If anything this city is full of interesting performance art. And if life gives you lemons...
RE: The Real World Protest.
Can someone report back on the effect this had on the unknowing participants...or the crew/ MTV world? Or more importantly what effect you hoped to have? I think immediately, when I heard of this planned excursion - What is this a reaction to - really? Commodification, again? " Madge, you're soaking in it." If this is not clear (ie what you would like to change) is your protest just another spectacle in and of itself?
Although I'll allow for the fact that this was impromtu... Why was it? and Why this way? A group of young artists were protesting....what exactly? Were we just furthering evidence of the stereotype of the artist as significantly disconnected from the REALITY of so many others (the majority).
As destructive as we may find the REAL WORLD to be this is exactly their real world. What exactly would you like to change about the REAL WORLD or even better the real world? Protesting the pioneer of reality tv seems a bit like standing in the middle of desert and bitching about the heat. Why couldn't the protest have been creative in the least? Or maybe it still can...- I hope if someone finds all of it interesting enough - and still chooses to protest - the protest/ like life/ like art - will reflect an interest - a challenge and a curiosity...that will interest and challenge the curious.
Jen Durbin
Why is it that capitalism seems so inevitable to so many people? Madge, should we just lie back and enjoy it?
-Steve
Although I find performance art extremely boring and dated... I would have to agree with Jen, I coulnd't have said it better. What were the effects of such actions against TRW ?
Surveillance Cameras
Let me see if I understand this correctly. Surveillance cameras should be relished because of their ability to lend a stage? If life gives you lemons? Well, given that this falls extremely short of analysis and more like a Spielberg directed version of the Real World, I doubt there is any real reason to contest it. Considering that one could only assume that by making such statements you really have little stake in reality, I understand the rest of your comments better.
You seem little concerned with the travails and issues of everday life. Maybe more fanciful and lighthearted and possibly insouciant? Is this correct?
If so, it makes little sense to castigate those who do still voice concern and frustration. Your world is a little more dreamy. A little fluffy. Full of mirages and glowing cotton candy surveillance cameras.
Right?
I have been refraining from comment in part due to computer problems, and partly because I don't have cable and hardly ever watch TV anyway.
So I haven't seen an episode of the Real World in years. I do find it very sad that the show is apparently being filmed in the building that once housed Urbis Orbis - a fine independent coffee shop and performance venue that is just one of the endless number of things in this city that has been replaced by empty faceless bullshit.
Given that MTV's Real World seems to be the most hotly debated subject in the history of this discussion group, doesn't anyone else find it really depressing that there is apparently no other cultural production in Chicago that can arouse this much passion or interest? When was the last time a museum or gallery mounted a project that was this contentious? Don't get me wrong, this is hardly a vote in support of the MTV scumbags, and I think it is obvious that their fantasy endeavor is worthy of plenty of critical backlash. But when will people start mounting exhibits that inspire this level of debate and interaction?
Is so much of the art being shown in this city so boring and so lacking in provocation and intellectual challenge, that we must turn to more complex problems like the Real World to stimulate the critical parts of our brains? Based on this discussion group's flurry of activity, the answer is apparently yes.
On a kind of related note: Last Monday I went to the Empty Bottle where I enjoyed one of the most astounding and powerful musical performances I have ever seen. The group was Rovo, a 7 person band featuring the guitarist from the Boredoms and hailing from Osaka, Japan. The band was so many things that so much art I've been seeing around here lately is not. They were engaging, frighteningly skilled, smart, entertaining, challenging, original, accessible, loud, and inspired. Had there been 1000 people in the club, I am certain that 1000 people would have had their jaws hanging open just like mine was.
The sad part was that there were only 40 people in attendance at most. Yes it was a Monday, and yes few people know who Rovo are. I think the point I am trying to make is perhaps that while vital and invigorating culture does exist, it usually requires some looking and it usually requires making a special effort. MTV already has an audience, and while their presence in the neighborhood and the problems it causes have to be addressed, they will continue to pump out their bullshit, and people who are too unmotivated to look for something more "real" elsewhere will continue to watch it. Rovo and the thousands like them, are obviously not covering their most basic expenses when you are flying a total of 9 people in from Japan to play for 40 people.
I'm totally sympathetic to the need to protest, but I think it is also important to create, search out, and support new culture that is largely autonomous from the garbage machine that provides us with MTV and its ilk. True, MTV will not go away if you ignore them, but some of this recent torrent of critical energy could surely be used to support those who really need it. From watching the activity on the fine DSLR discussion group, it is clear that reacting to the MTV situation is directly or indirectly helping that group of people to build a stronger network and community. That's a very positive end result and that is one of the effects that the attacks on that place have had. Still it does not alleviate the problem that bad culture is always best replaced with more interesting culture and while it's usually easy to find great music in Chicago, interesting and critical visual art seems to be deeply hidden at the moment.
Enough for now,
Marc
From IndyMedia Chicago:
[http://www.chicago.indymedia.org]
Last night i attended the real world protest.
it was much smaller then the one last saturday we didn't even get a chance to block off the street like we did last time. the fuzz pretty much ambushed us. by the time i got there around 11:20 the cops were everywhere and they had already arrested one person for writing on the sidewalk with chalk.
When i got there I begun to say hello to some people with whom i knew and i made my way to the middle of the crowd that was standing on the sidewalk on the opposite side of the MTV real world house when a friend of mine whom had been playing the drums and chanting was violently grabbed by the fuzz and choked with his own drum strap this caused members of the crowd to surge forward and attempt to unarrest him this was unsuccesful and soon after this another innocent protester was arrested. He was pushed into a door well hit in the face, knocked down, and cuffed when he was being led away I saw that he had a big red bump on his forehead. I think this just goes to show the true nature of the police if that was ever in question.
The demonstrations/parties in front of the Real World house have proven more poignant than many originally thought. The Gestapo over reaction by the Chicago police, and Sargent Crawford in particular, reveals a connection between police power and the media that we have long suspected.
It is quite apparent at this point that for the city of Chicago, the Real World is a giant advertisement for Chicagos urban renewal. They are hoping that this will show Chicago as a major contender as a global city. A great place for affluence without the hassles of most urban areas. It is an issue that is deep within the city on many fronts and is directly correlated to globalism in general.
The tearing down of Cabrini Green, the developing of UIC Village and the destruction of Maxwell Street, the rampant gentrification and the spread of Starbucks and the total criminalization of the poor. All these issues are very related to Dalys plan to make Chicago, a global city of the future. Real World party/protest attendee Ian Heimlich felt the weight of the citys unweilding global plan as his head bounced off the sidewalk. 15 other arrestees felt it as they were carted off to jail.
The word on the street is, and it makes all the sense in the world, that the alderman called down to make sure nothing went down at the Real World house. When people arrived at 11PM, there were already tactical teams on the roof of the construction site next door. Around the corner awaited Sargent Crawford. Unlike demonstrating in front of some condoned sector (like a government building), the Real World demo has directly threatened their urban renewal plan. With each action, the actors get nervous, the producers are on the phone, and most importantly, potential film and television production crews are crossing Chicago off their list as a potential location. The house is a vulnerable site for the city and they know it. Now we know it as well.
What happened in Genoa is a macrocosm of similar issues. The Gestapo tactics of the Carbinari are being utilized because no one in power is willing to stop the new force of globalism. Every city, country, province has their game plan for reaping the benefits of a new shift in power. We are the ones who stand to lose from this.
The Chicago police, Sargent Crawford in particular, came out in full force because they were told to do so from the higher rungs of Chicago dirty politics. They went gung ho when they sensed dollars and cents at risk. This is why we must keep up our tactics.
The arrests on Saturday night all occurred on the sidewalk. One couldnt even call it a demonstration as no one was chanting (minus two people who were arrested for doing so) and there was hardly a large crowd. Everyone was arrested for simply asking what was going on. This is what the Real World looks like. There are plans for ongoing actions in order to bring to light the direct connection between supposed trivial media moguls like MTV/Viacom, the real estate plans of the city of Chicago, and the corporate servitude of the brutal and unconstitutional Chicago Police Department. (Sargent Crawford in particular)
![[http://spaces.org/archive/bin/mower1.jpg]](http://spaces.org/archive/bin/mower1.jpg){kind=link}