Sunday 28 June 2009

free knowledge collective

From my inbox...

Hello :)

As part of the Free Knowledge Collective's endeavor to make accessible to the public multiple perspectives, otherwise-ignored voices, and radical ideologies, I am starting a portable library of independent, alternative, and radical texts.

You can read a little more about it here: http://www.freeknowledgecollective.com/AltLibrary.html

Everywhere the FKCollective goes (and for every FKCollective event) the library will come with. People will be given the chance to read, discuss, and learn from the texts at their leisure and if they want a copy of whatever they're reading, FKCollective members will provide them with info as to how to buy/obtain a copy for themselves.

Are you interested in donating to the FKCollective's radical library? I really hope so--I think this could be a great project. Send all donated materials to:

Samantha Manchester
7 Edgeclift Road
Towson, MD 21286 USA

Please include, if possible, info as to how people can procure your publication--where to write to, who to contact, etc.

Additionally, let me know if you think this is a good idea and if you'd like a copy of the FKCollective zine, or if you'd like to stay updated on Free Knowledge Collective events & news by joining our mailing list.

Thank you so much for your support in any fashion,
Samantha

Saturday 27 June 2009

transnational feminisms

From my inbox...

Call for Contributions

Transnational Feminisms Conference
University of Manchester
4-5 December 2009 (with associated activities on 6 December)

Drawing on the impact of postcolonial feminism and its enactments,this conference will examine how women are affected by political systems in a global climate, how feminism translates and moves across borders, and how feminism can be utilised as a methodology for understanding the transnational context.
Here the transnational is understood to be a complication of notions of the 'elsewhere', highlighting the challenges of fluidity, movement and instability whilst also paying close attention to locatedness.
This is a feminism that is engaged with the woman-as-subject without making universalising claims regarding women's experience; it both considers how gender operates and critiques categorisation.

The purpose of this conference is to explore the vitality of feminist interdisciplinarity as it pertains to the transnational, providing space for these debates to come together, creating an interrogation of transnational feminist theory and practice from academic, activist andartistic standpoints.
The conference will also engage with ideas of transnational feminism through workshops, exhibitions and a history walk.

We welcome contributions from academics, postgraduates, activists and artists.

Keynote Speakers:
Doctor Anne-Marie Fortier (University of Lancaster)
Professor Gabriele Griffin (University of York)
Doctor Amrit Wilson (Royal Holloway)

Contributions may take the form of papers, workshops, exhibitions or reading group style discussions, amongst others.
Paper presentations will consist of panels of 3 x 20 minute papers.

Topics might include:
Global markets of cultural production
Religion and the nation state
Belonging and home
Feminism and neo-colonialism
Diaspora and migration
The international as the popular
Historical moments of transnational feminism
The struggle for, and violence of, borders
Postcolonial/queer intersections
Feminism and gender in a wider global political debate
Sites and voices of privilege
Historicisation and genealogies
Alliances
Cultural and textual translations
Memorialisation
Feminist anti-racism

Please send abstracts of no more than 300 words and a short biography by Friday August 28th to transfem09@yahoo.co.uk

Conference website www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/sage/transnationalfeminisms/

All enquiries to Humaira Saeed and Clare Tebbutt at transfem09@yahoo.co.uk

the best MJ tribute i've seen...



By girlyhandwriting

a photographic review of the cotl exhibition

Morwenna Catt, one of the artists exhibiting as part of the Colouring Outside The Lines exhibition has blogged about the exhibition's opening night, including lots of great photographs.
If you haven't yet been & don't want to spoil the surprise of what the gallery space has been transformed into, don't follow this link!
For those that wanna peak, check out Morwenna's blog post

Wednesday 24 June 2009

girls not chicks

The interview I once did with Jacinta Bunnell has today been added to her press page on the PM site. PM Press are the new folks who are printing up the new, updated issue of 'Girls Not Chicks' colouring book. Aceness!

It's totally spooky too that this came the day before the opening of the Colouring Outside The Lines exhibition, as Jacinta was one of the people there from the beginning, her interview featuring in issue one. It's like today it's all come full circle, or something!

Tuesday 23 June 2009

back handed compliments to female musicians: zine submissions wanted

From my inbox...


hello friends!
so we are compiling a zine filled with our stories as well as the stories or other female musicians.

basically after touring and having the same bone-head things said to us every night, we though this would be a good way to get people thinking and talking to one another before approaching the band.

we want contributions!
send us any details you might think other people should read about. whats the most frustrating experience you've had? what do you want people to know/ take into consideration before they come talk to you.

i want to thank every dude that has come up to me after a show and said something along the lines of "whoa, you, like, play like me!"
i know it came from a place of love.

this zine is going to be a reaction to those comments and backwards compliments women in music receive night after night.

you can send your stories/comments/lovemail to purplerhinestoneeagle@gmail.com
or thru myspace

peace and also love
purple rhinestone eagle

Monday 22 June 2009

calling those in paris &/or madrid...

Sabrina Chapadijev, American editor of 'Live Through This' is gonna be in Paris and Madrid in the first two weeks in August.

Do you want to help her out and set up shows for her?

Sabrina is available to do presentations/workshops on the issues in 'Live Through This', i.e. Creativity and Self-Destruction.

Sabrina is also a talented performer, and is available to do gigs/music performances too (see: her myspace to check out her music).

Sabrina is seriously rad, and more than wanting to spread the word about her work, she wants to meet and connect with more international/European feminists.

I highly recommend her work, and think shows in Paris or Madrid would be amazing!

You can find out more about Sabrina at her website
And contact her here: livethroughthis2008@yahoo.com

Friday 19 June 2009

in an attempt to cheer my ill self up...

i'm lucky enough to know the rad people in renminbi

The first single from Renminbi's new EP "Surface" is available now in streaming format and also as a free download.

Please visit http://renminbi.cashmusic.org to hear "Portland" now. Just hit the "Play" button at the bottom-right to stream the track. If you want to download it (as a high-quality MP3, a FLAC, or an Apple lossless file) you'll need to enter & verify your email address. This isn't for any sneaky, evil reason -- it's just so we can send you a link to a download of the full album when it's out on July 7!

Some vital stats you need to know about "Surface":

1) It's out as a digital-only release on July 7. We are releasing it pay-what-you-wish style, which means you can also pay nothing. It will be available in several formats, all uber-high-quality for the audiophile in you.

2) It's out as a 12 inch 45 RPM vinyl in late August. Pre-orders for the vinyl will begin on digital-release day, July 7. Those who pre-order will receive lots of bonus materials when the vinyl is out, such as live tracks, demos, and other exclusives.

3) The EP Release Party is July 2 at Piano's. The cover is $8 and *includes* a free, limited-edition copy of the EP on CD on a first-come, first-served basis. The CD version of the EP will not be available anywhere else at any other time. This is a one-shot-only deal. We kick things off at 8pm, so don't be late!

4) We are releasing the EP under a Creative Commons license, which means you are free to copy it, share it, and remix it. However, we ask that you always direct people to http://renminbi.cashmusic.org so they can download the songs themselves and also gain access to other materials, such as photos, lyrics, and cover art.

Saturday 13 June 2009

swooning over swoon



I'm so lucky - an image of Swoon's work is to feature in COTL#5's gallery of artwork. I'm kinda head over heels!

what i wouldn't give to be at this in brussels

Maya Hayuk has an exhibition and intallation at Alice gallery in Brussels. Jealous of those who get to go!

cotl exhibition - opening night

Just a reminder that the opening, preview night of the Colouring Outside The Lines exhibition is on Thursday 25th of June 5-7pm, and you're all invited...

Gallery II at the University of Bradford hosts a new collaborative exhibition of female artists working beyond the bounds of the cultural mainstream.

Gallery II and Colouring Outside The Lines zine invites you to the private view of Colouring Outside The Lines: The Exhibition & zine launch (issue 5).
Curators and artists involved in the exhibition will be in attendance at the opening.

The exhibition seeks to open the discussion of who has access to art - in terms of both curators and artists.

Colouring Outside the Lines: The Exhibition will feature artwork and installations by Abigail Brown, Heidi Burton, Morwenna Catt, Naseem Darbey, Carolyn Mendelsohn and Helen Musselwhite.

If you've never been to the University before you are probably best to just head to Bradford and follow signs to the University. Coming up Richmond Road Gallery II is directly opposite the University Sports Centre. There is a downloadable leaflet at: http://www.brad.ac.uk/booklets/findus.pdf with proper directions on!

After opening night, the exhibition then runs for a further month, from Friday 26 June - Friday 24 July 2009. Opening times. Mon - Fri, 10am-5pm, Thursdays 'til 6pm. Or by appointment. Free entry


Also, we'll inform you about this nearer the time, but on Saturday 4 July 11am - 4pm we will be open and hosting a special opening and picnic, combined with a twisted storytelling event. More details TBC.

Hope to see you at the gallery!

Melanie & Rachelxox

Friday 12 June 2009

bradford zine fayre

From my inbox

On Sunday 21st June The Treehouse CafƩ, Bradford, will become host to a glorious celebration of all things DIY and papery.

Zine synposiums are a chance for people to exhibit their creations and distros, meet likeminded self-publishers and general wander round with a joyful abandon, amazed at the wonderful things people can do with an old type-writer, some felt-tips and a prit-stick.

So we at Claptrap Zine thought it was about time Bradford played host- basically so we can coax all our favourite zinesters up/down here, whilst also showing off some Bradford-made publications.

The Bradford Centre for Non-Violence / Treehouse Cafe will be transformed into a den of DIY.

Three rooms will be full to the brim with lots of incredible zines from all over the UK. Feminism, queer issues, anarchism, music, personal experiences, crafts, art, photography, history, comics, illustration… zines can and do cover everything; you’ll have a chance to peruse through these lovely self-published tomes of joy and meet the creators too! Manifesta, Lola and the Cartwheels, BD7 Punx, Branches Distro, Subtext, Mobile Menstrual Zine Library, Claptrap, Beep! and ZNA Distro will all be there for your enjoyment, plus a load more.

Then there are the special workshops! --

All day
Footprint, a lovely printing co-op from leeds, will be making a ‘Zine on the Day’ – bring A5 submissions and see it come together through the hours.

All day
Bradford Zine Library- The Beginning. Ellie, general legend, hive housing co-op resident and publisher of one of the best new zines in ages ‘Every Text My Girlfriend Ever Sent Me’ will be taking submissions for a new Zine Library, to be based at the CafĆ© and 1in12 Club. Everyone has spare zines lying around at home, so bring yours in to be part of this!

All day
Claptrap 4 Launch- We’ll be unveiling the new Claptrap Zine to the world, as well as the results of our special ‘Photos of Bradford’ map and display.

All day-
Children’s peace library / Commonweal collection. This is a great chance to look through all the ace books in the library already at our centre… kids can enjoy the world’s only children’s peace library, whilst also contributing to a ‘Toddler Zine’, which will be made up on the day from contributors of a smaller age.

All Day-
Treehouse CafĆ© – we’ll be serving the usual fantastic vegan / vege soups, cakes, main meals, salads, teas and coffees. With the best fair trade, organic, local and volunteer-made credentials around.

2pm till 3pm
Adam and Cat- the dynamic parenting and craft duo- will be going through their legendary ‘Knitting for Beginners’ zine- with wool and needles provided.

3pm till 4pm
Adventures in Menstruating
‘Sanitary Disposal Units and you!’ Plus ‘Period Euphemisms- the colouring book!’

4pm till 5pm
An open discussion with people from mono, Beep!, Good Form Club, Claptrap and more-
‘Music Zines in Bradford- What is the importance? What are the challenges?’

5pm till 6 there will be a little bit of a rest bite for dinner and swapping tables around as we move into a poetry and music after party!
This is when we will be celebrating the first year wedding anniversary of Chella Quint and Sarah Thomasin, who are the pair behind Adventures in Menstruating, with a chance to eat loads of cupcakes and chat about the joy of love and zine making.

6pm – 7 – Zine readings.

7pm – 10 Poetry + Music evening.
Featuring Sarah Thomasin, Simon and Joel joint beatnik word and double bass pairing shocker, Garfunkle and Simon, Excerpts from ‘Slam’ the Saul Williams poetry film and probably Katie Hyatt and Jed Forward. Open mic slots aplenty too, so bring your own words or songs to perform.


It's just opposite the uni on the left as you wander up Great Horton Road.

Facebook page

seripop



My friends are curating this wonderful exhibition and weekend of events at Baltic centre for contemporary art in Newcastle. Well worth a visit!

SERIPOP 31 July - 2 August 2009

Tuesday 9 June 2009

beautiful

"A Woolgathering Exodus" // BenoƮt Pioulard from Church and Steak on Vimeo.



Directed by Church & Steak. Church & Steak is a film collective founded by Josh Lowman and Rinee Shah.

driver wanted for UK Sister Spit tour

Do to ill health, I'm unfortunately unable to drive the UK leg of the Sister Spit tour this September, as planned. Excitingly though, it means that somebody else can nab the opportunity...

The UK leg will be a week long, during September, and you will be required to drive a 10-12 seater van packed with queer lit superstars.

Please get in touch if you think you could be this somebody!