May 4 — 5 o’clock reveal

propaganda is a contemporary art exhibition — and happening.

propaganda is a multimedia show that does not focus on stereotypical conceptions about propaganda - nor does it concentrate on the purely overt political propaganda often seen showcased — propaganda is about the subtleties, depths and reaches that the overarching concept entails.  

propaganda - is not a show about good or bad - it is show - about how consuming and prevalent it is in our society and history.  we are the people of propaganda - we do not know a reality without it constructing our landscape.

18 multidisciplinary artists will deliver sincere responses to propaganda through painting, drawing, video, poetry, sculpture, representational and conceptual fine art. 

Performative artists will engage and interact with the audience throughout the opening reception via spoken word, ritual — and a special guest propaganda DJ performance by Mark Knudsen. 

— @6pm, PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT — Monica Lynn Manoski explores and questions what it means to be human. Her performance uncovers the unconscious ideas that shape our perceptions of the world.  

— 5pm-9pm, ICONOCLASM 101 — Interactive: Darin Murphy, Head of SMFA Library at Tufts University, will be acting as docent, conducting tours of the exhibition and lead conversations throughout the evening — why are we in a gallery looking at art? What decisions were made, by whom, to validate this experience? What might this say about our visual and informational literacies, as well as institutional critique, both individually and societally?

— 5pm-9pm, INDOCTRINATION — Audio: a special DJ Performance by Mark Knudsen, former Goth Band, now CTO of Medical Firm — has arranged a 6+ hour playlist of “propaganda music” — and will DJ live @8PM (timing pending crowd size) — his equipment will be set up on a 4’ square platform — “Technology enables mass communication of truth, opinion, sentiment, artifice, misdirection, and lies. How good are we at discerning which is which? Are we even paying attention? Are we influenced despite ourselves? Arguably modern propaganda creates a modern Tower of Babel undermining our ability to understand each other.”

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TALK: John Tarrant on koans and creativity 4/26

Western Zen Teacher and ground breaking author John Tarrant talks
about koan study and how it can be used for creative purposes.

suggested donation $10 at the door.
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TALK IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ART EXHIBITION:
koan — OPENING MAY 13 — at iartcolony — Rockport, MA

— taking inspiration from John Tarrant’s seminal work “bring me the rhinoceros, and other zen koans that will save your life.”

— through text, video, performance, sculpture, photography and painting, eight conceptual, Boston-based Alumni from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts examine the dynamics between koan study and the creative process.

“koan” opens May 13th at iartcolony — 42 Broadway, Rockport, MA, 
978-764-5495, bobandjill@iartcolony.com

KOAN ARTISTS: 
Furen Dai
Matthew Gamber
Suje Garcia
Sawool Kim
Greg Lookerse
Monica Lynn Manoski
Gabriel Sosa
John Tarrant
Graham Yeager

iartcolony.com
tarrantworks.com
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“Every life is full of koans, and yet you can’t learn from a book how to understand them. You need someone to put you in the right frame of mind to see the puzzles and paradoxes of your experience. With intelligence, humor, and steady deep reflection, John Tarrant does this as no one has done it before. This book could take you to a different and important level of experience. “
—Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul

JOHN TARRANT is the Founder/Director of Pacific Zen Institute, an organization devoted to koans, the arts, and spirituality as a creative act. He has pioneered the development of koans as a method for understanding the mind in Western culture. John has a PhD in psychology, teaches physicians and executives at Duke Integrative Medicine, and for many years had a practice in Jungian psychotherapy. He is also the author of The Light Inside the Dark: Zen, Soul, and the Spiritual Life, and writes poetry, published in various collections. He was born and grew up in Tasmania, Australia, and now lives in the hills near Santa Rosa in Northern California

the demonese

the demonese

those – who have – been long since – demonized – since birth – the birth right – of true kings

we are the leaders of the disenfranchised – we behind scenes – pulling strings – until we realize

our full potential – to save the world from evil – we are not the devil – they clipped our wings –

made us blind eagles – we mate for life – our sight is coming back – we are about to witness – the

recreation – of humanity – this day – is upon us – fatally heavy – the word users – are dishonest -

they branded us – with their words – art colonists – all of us – cursed – by their blessed words – signs

exposing us – as the antichrist – or what have you – but we are more religious than you – more natural

the demonese – are a great culture – they nurture – they cure – they create – these demons don’t hate –

they’ve been vilified – but they are the life force of humanity – and every time – the rookery – nears –

extinction – the lights dim – on civilization – we are – creative beings – we keep inspiring – the masses

to become – individuals – self realized persons – artists – demons – how does – the inversion process – go

how do we become upside down – in this scenario – who is good – and who is bad – the scale is so slight –

but those who are bad – realize – they are – the good are not sure if they are good – because they question –

themselves – constantly – almost to a point – of exhaustion – of inability – to move forward – the demonese

are exhausted – taking on the weight of the world – because – no one else would – we are artists in rookeries

looking – to mate ideas – to create – the next wave – of white blue herons – the last two eastern condors – fly

northeast – out of the everglades – the last two – eastern draggers – leave port – because – the town is on fire –

the villagers – have become ravagers – the jealousy and envy – engulfed in flames – and all the demons fled – on

the last two boats – in the last two birds – the creative left – they sensed – a damnation – forthcoming – predicted

tidal waves striking – had to go out to see – to find themselves – during the zombie apocalypse – the demonese are

shamanic – individuals – trying to cure the village – i am a demonologist – writing about this – watching the demise

in progress – every one feels safe in their nest – it is when – you go out of it – there are – new challenges – great waves

and apocalyptic sunsets – the two birds fly – with their oversized wings – over humanities – sea and flames – looking for

survivors – of the great crisis of conscious – to start – the 21st century – and create – the demonese – civilization - iartcolony

november 26, 2011

jill whitney armstrong bob armstrong

iartcolony 42 Broadway Rockport, MA 01966 978-546-8423 800-663-3399

bobandjill@iartcolony.com iartcolony.com

icons

signposts to an artcolony

cutting edge artists tackling the icons of cape ann
- including alumn of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Tufts University, Clark University, Savannah College of Art and Design and Montserrat College of Art.

molly segal
emily reinauer
pawel przewlocki
greer muldowney
greg lookerse
cody justus
andrew houle
andrew bablo