ligorano/reese launched The State of Things at the DNC in Denver today!

via

Regardless of your political leaning, everyone in the Metro area should open their arms (or at least be Minnesota-nice) to our guests during the Republican National Convention. An advertising campaign created by Twin Cities advertising agency, Campbell Mithun, encourages you to find your own way to graciously welcome our many visitors–as well as participate in the many non-partisan activities going on in town during the RNC. Check out the campaign and pass it along!

You know it’s official when you have a fancy poster!

We look forward to a great event and hope to see you all at the parade!

Love,

The Liberty Parade

I’m a big fan of Current TV, and they just did a spot about the RNC in Minneapolis / St. Paul called UnConventionally Yours. Perhaps ironically, it doesn’t actually mention The UnConvention, but it does give a pretty good overview of the Twin Cities and the RNC to any visitors or residents that want to know how we’re perceived.

There’s also a version about the DNC in Denver.

There have been dozens of responses to the UnConvention’s call sponsored by the Walker Art Center and the Uptake for short videos with the theme I Approve This Message. This latest example by San Francisco artist J.D. Beltran is yet another way to define the task. Check it out.

UConvention partner Dialog City in Denver is about to open its doors at the DNC.

Politics stokes digital artists’ fires

“Curated by Seth Goldenberg, “Dialog:City” is a vigorous nod to the fact that 21st-century digital-culture artists and performers — such as Miller and R. Luke DuBois, whose “Hindsight Is Always 2 0/20″ will also be showing convention week at the Denver Center Arts Complex — not only can engage with pressing issues, but they intend to.”

via Denver Post

Art Show Makes Political Statement

Every arts group with a couple of empty walls - or an open sidewalk - is putting up work with a political flavor to mark the Democratic National Convention and offer commentary on the state of the nation.

via Rocky Mountain News

PARKING: There will be very limited Harriet Island parking available to the Peace Island Picnic, and much of that is already assigned to a group of art cars, the Bush Legacy Bus and others. We recommend street parking. There should be a lot available.

DIRECTIONS: Because so much of downtown Saint Paul will have no traffic at all during the Republican Convention, we recommend entering Harriet Island by Plato Blvd via Hwy 52.

• From Minneapolis take I-94 east to the Hwy 52 exit, then the Plato Blvd. exit off 52, then follow signs to Harriet Island.
• From the north, take I-35E, Keep LEFT to take I-35E S via EXIT 46 toward ST PAUL. Merge onto US-52 S via EXIT 107A on the LEFT. Then take the Plato Blvd exit.
• From the east, take I-94 and exit south onto Hwy 52, then take the Plato Blvd exit. From the East, take I-94 west. Take the 6TH ST exit, EXIT 242D, on the LEFT toward US-52 S. Take the Plato Blvd exit.
• From the south, take Hwy 52 and exit at Plato Blvd.

WHAT TO BRING:

• blankets, sunscreen, frisbee, the usual
• the Picnic food will be simple and will last as long as it lasts. You can bring your own additions to it–drinks, chips, etc.
• High spirits, good intentions, your own peace to share.

QUESTIONS?

• rossrowley@hotmail.com or tgd108@usiwireless.com,

Four of Jane Rainwater’s designs for My Yard Our Message were selected by the voting public in the top 50 designs. She was recently interviewed on the “Art Agenda,” broadcast on 88.1fm, WESU, Middletown on August 7, 2008.

To listen to this interview, follow this link: http://www.lexleifheit.com/2008/08/07/art-agenda-design-for-democracy/

Great article in Sunday’s NYT about The UnConvention - and Dialog:City the UnConvention’s Denver counterpart - including this closing comment from artist Sharon Hayes:

“These conventions are one of the most active places where the two parties reach into the space of the cultural imagination, . . . And that is a place that we as artists have a claim to and also have a responsibility to be present to.”
–Sharon Hayes, in Julie Bloom, “Your (Nonpartisan) Message Here,” NYT, Aug. 18, 2008

Sharon Hayes’ Revolutionary Love 2: I Am Your Best Fantasy is being presented by Creative Time with the Walker Art Center and the UnConvention. Revolutionary Love 2: I Am Your Best Fantasy was a part of Democracy in America, a national public art initiative organized by Creative Time.

http://theunconvention.com

Join the UnConvention on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20072927723

PARTY! Selection, Election and the Body Politic – 2008

Opening Presidential Inauguration Day (January 20) 2009

IFP Minnesota Center for Media Arts, 2446 University Avenue, Suite 100, St. Paul, MN

The quadreienial suspension of rationality in an attempt to get a small percentage of the electorate to believe our candidate isn’t as bad as the other candidate with distortions of the facts to swing the election is under way. The IFP Photo Galleries will be expanded present a large selection of photographs made in response to, inspired by, and simply of the 2008 election process. We are looking for images in, and beyond, the documentary genre. We encourage works that conceptually interpret the process, creative portraiture and multi-media. Subject matter can include the candidates, their election team, the hype team (commercial promotion and production), national, state, local, grass roots, third (fourth, fifth…) party candidates, the issues at stake, those reacting to the process (artists, protestors, the media), the RNC in St. Paul and so on. Submit up to 20 digital photos, 72 dpi 12 inches on the longest size, saved as hi quality jpegs files each titled by number and the artist’s last name and a corresponding image title list (number, title, size, medium), along with a brief statement saved on a CD. Also print out the image title list and statement. Send the CD and printed materials to PARTY, IFP Minnesota Center for Media Arts • 2446 University Ave. West, Suite 100 St. Paul, MN 55114 phone: (651) 644-1912 by December 1, 2008. One to five images, possibly more, will be requested from the successful applicants who will be notified no later than December 10. Artists must be able to deliver their works framed and ready for hanging to IFP by January 10, 2009.

Questions or comments should be directed to Vance Gellert vancegellert@gmail.com