Barcelona Sin Papeles: art/activism
zcat/ionnek | 13.06.2004 23:09 | Anti-racism | Culture | Migration | World
Barcelona, 29th May 2004. People without papers held a public assembly in Plaza Cataluna, to discuss a demonstration and the possibility to occupy churches the next weekend. It was called by the "Assembly for Regularisation without Conditions", an immigrant self organisation. Indymedia Barcelona is reporting about the progress of the movement - and also about the repression against it: 2 Barcelona Churches were occupied and evicted, 25 immigrants are facing eviction, more demos and actions all over Spain are announced.
The picture shows people scribbling their demands on a 25 meter roll of paper cellotaped on the marble stones of Placa Catalunya. The following text describes how this simple action developed.
The picture shows people scribbling their demands on a 25 meter roll of paper cellotaped on the marble stones of Placa Catalunya. The following text describes how this simple action developed.
one very long peice of paper with lots and lots of writing on it !
People from the papeles para tod@s communications group had joined forces with an art workshop and some European tourists to support the assembly. Flyers with pictograms were designed and distributed, but 4 hours before the start of the assembly, the group still didn't have a plan for an intervention.
Brainstorming over lunch, "papers" came up in all sorts of combinations. Strange, associative discussions. All those present had papers, the passports and permits the sin papeles need to fight for were safely in our handbags and pockets. The awkward feeling that for us, the assembly was part of a workshop, an inspiring way to spend a few days in barcelona, an afternoon in the sunshine on Placa Cataluna. The wish to contribute something as part of a political practice.
How about taking lots of bits of paper to the location, pin them on our clothes and those of others? Weird suggestion, the idea was to say "it's only papers, why should anyone have to fight for them". Big potential of getting it all wrong. The idea to buy a huge roll of paper, so that people could make themselves paper-clothes.
A 25 metres roll of paper plus some packs of A4 typing sheets and cellotape was brought to placa catalunya in time for the assembly - and immediately, it was clear that the paper-tayoring exercise was going to be abandonned in favour of creating a big "whiteboard". Especially since a few people had already started: 5 A4 sheets on the floor, decorated with candles and encircled with a piece of white silk in memory of a young immigrant man who had been killed by police.
While the assamblea was taking place, the paper roll was cellotaped to the smooth marble ground, creating something like a visual street across the square. Some more text markers were bought, and people immediately started scribbling messages on the paper. Space run out soon, the A4 sheets were used to create another "patchwork path" on the square. The sheets couldn't be cellotaped fast enough, each time one was ready, somebody started writing on it. People who crossed the square stopped to read, started talking to each other, some took leaflets. Everybody seemed to make sure not to step on the messages. Children and buggies were lifted over the "paper-street".
The assembly led to the occupation of two churches in Barcelona, part of a much wider movement of people without papers for regulation without conditions - watch
http://indymedia.org for more info.
Brainstorming over lunch, "papers" came up in all sorts of combinations. Strange, associative discussions. All those present had papers, the passports and permits the sin papeles need to fight for were safely in our handbags and pockets. The awkward feeling that for us, the assembly was part of a workshop, an inspiring way to spend a few days in barcelona, an afternoon in the sunshine on Placa Cataluna. The wish to contribute something as part of a political practice.
How about taking lots of bits of paper to the location, pin them on our clothes and those of others? Weird suggestion, the idea was to say "it's only papers, why should anyone have to fight for them". Big potential of getting it all wrong. The idea to buy a huge roll of paper, so that people could make themselves paper-clothes.
A 25 metres roll of paper plus some packs of A4 typing sheets and cellotape was brought to placa catalunya in time for the assembly - and immediately, it was clear that the paper-tayoring exercise was going to be abandonned in favour of creating a big "whiteboard". Especially since a few people had already started: 5 A4 sheets on the floor, decorated with candles and encircled with a piece of white silk in memory of a young immigrant man who had been killed by police.
While the assamblea was taking place, the paper roll was cellotaped to the smooth marble ground, creating something like a visual street across the square. Some more text markers were bought, and people immediately started scribbling messages on the paper. Space run out soon, the A4 sheets were used to create another "patchwork path" on the square. The sheets couldn't be cellotaped fast enough, each time one was ready, somebody started writing on it. People who crossed the square stopped to read, started talking to each other, some took leaflets. Everybody seemed to make sure not to step on the messages. Children and buggies were lifted over the "paper-street".
The assembly led to the occupation of two churches in Barcelona, part of a much wider movement of people without papers for regulation without conditions - watch
http://indymedia.org for more info.
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