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this is not a protest

mark mcgowan | 15.12.2005 19:58 | London

this is not a protest

THIS IS NOT A PROTEST.

This Saturday performance artist Mark McGowan is to challenge the government and police’s Westminster protest ban by walking backwards inside the entire exclusion zone wearing a tee shirt saying THIS IS NOT A PROTEST, and whispering the words ‘ this is not a protest,this is not a protest’, to passers-by.

A recent law was passed banning all protests within-in a one mile exclusion zone, which also includes any banners, placards and loud hailers.

The event will start at 10am in Westminster Square this Saturday 17th December 2005.

McGowan says, “I don’t think that I am breaking the law, I hope not i am not an activist just an artist, i dont want to get arrested and thrown in jail or anything like that. i am not planning to do a piece about prisons. i just think that

'Everyone has the right of freedom of opinion and _expression; this includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information through any media and regardless of frontiers.' -- Article 19, Universal Declaration of Human Rights

this statement says it all."

For more info and images

07956084780
 chunkymark1974@yahoo.com

mark mcgowan
- e-mail: chunkymark1974@yahoo.com

Comments

Hide the following 3 comments

an arse for arts sake

15.12.2005 20:17

Brilliant. Most artists ignore the headlines of today but few convey the forces that affect their daily lives , few express the feeling of the hand on your shoulder.

Who was it burned a million quid and called it art ? Bill Drummond ? I'd accept that. But burn Tony Blair for real, that'd be great art, non plus ultra.

Banksy is about a million miles in front of you but you are closing fast, more power to your angst !

Danny


kool

15.12.2005 20:50

its about time somone posted some art related stuff to the site.
the art that really counts are things that make people think imo.
there is alot of protest art out there but all we seem to get is pics of graffitti (thats not a bad thing) but there really should be more art related stuff posted here
And I know many activists have been or are artists.
Like the saying goes "If there aint any space for art in the revolution then its not my revolution! (along those lines anyway)

zcat


you're a star

15.12.2005 22:31

Zcat,

Graffitti is just art in an unauthorised location, like a weed is any plant where the gardener doesn't want it. And all authorised art is just a coca-cola advert. I fully agree that there should be more arts related stuff and individual creativity on protest marches/actions whatever rather than the same self-important talking heads who constantly drone on and bore us with stuff we already know. The situationalists still bore us from their graves by having recognised this.

More music please! The main reason the vietnam war was ended was because we had decent protest singers back then. Music killed the nazis as surely as water killed the wicked witch.

Maybe since you also recognise this then in six months time we'll be entertained or challenged by your own work on a demo. How about a mass flag-burning, where people of every nation come together to disrepect their own state ?

Respect to Mark and I hope he gets arrested so more people get to hear about him.




Yeah, tell'em about it,
Hit'em where it hurts
Hey, Kool Thing, come here, sit down beside me
There's something I gotta ask you.
I just wanna know, what are you gonna do for me?
I mean, are you gonna liberate us girls from male white corporate oppression?
Tell it like it is! Huh? yeah! Don't be shy
Word up!
Fear of a female planet? Fear of a female planet?
Fear, baby!
I just want to know that we can still be friends

Come on, come on, come on, come on let everybody know
Kool thing, kool thing

When you're a star, I know that you'll fix everything

Kool Thing sittin’ by the kitty
Now you know you're sure lookin' pretty
Rock the beat just a little faster
Now I know you are a master
I don't wanna, I don't think so
I don't wanna, I don't think so

Kool thing walkin' like a panther
Come on and give me an answer
Kool thing walkin' like a panther
what'd he say?
I don't wanna, I don't think so
I don't wanna, I don't think so

Danny


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