The Creative Caucus - The Voice of Positive Change

No Joke

2010-10-01T23:24:00.000-07:00

"No Joke" visual Luxus poem by Litsa Spathi

After Fluxus follows LUXUS

2010-09-22T00:03:00.001-07:00

"After Fluxus follows LUXUS - Flux is over--->it is time for LUXUS" by Litsa Spathi

2009 is ending

2009-12-27T09:30:00.000-08:00

also a positive idea. The world still is turning, and so will we to the next year.

War is Over

2009-12-13T02:14:00.001-08:00

http://imaginepeace.com/news/archives/9063

Join in in this project of Yoko Ono to celebrate 40 years!

Historial facts (interview with John & Yoko 40 years ago):

“Henry Ford knew how to sell cars by advertising. I’m selling PEACE. And Yoko and I are just one big advertising campaign. It may make people laugh, but it may make them think, too. Really, we’re Mr and Mrs Peace”
John Lennon

The WAR IS OVER! campaign was originally launched by John and Yoko on 15th December, 1969. Billboards with the inscription “WAR IS OVER! (IF YOU WANT IT) Happy Christmas from John and Yoko” were placed in 11 cities worldwide: New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Rome, Athens, Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, London, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Along with these billboards leaflets were distributed, posters plastered up, newspaper advertisements placed and radio announcements made.

When John was asked how much the billboards cost, he replied “I don’t know- but it is cheaper than someone’s life.”

2009 Started

2009-01-03T10:40:00.001-08:00

The year 2009 just started. Now that is a positive thing.

Create

2008-11-07T23:00:00.000-08:00

Letter to Rachel Maddow

2008-11-06T19:41:00.000-08:00

Hi Rachel,

I am an artist and am director of the Ontological Museum at ontologicalmuseum.org. I would like to introduce you to a new term “ Massurreality” (SEE BELOW) It has been floating around for about 10 years now in the art world.

With the election we are seeing a huge shift in the massurreality that will directly reshape the world as we know it. I believe for the better. Every person contributes to or participates in the massurreality on a daily basis. We are all responcible for shaping the massurreality and it would be interesting if you could introduce this term on your show as a way for people to understand that our world via media is a kind of dream world that we all have the power to shape. We have a major riff in the massurreality at the moment created by republican propaganda techniques which attempt to replace the obvious with strange misshapen tokens of propaganda that conform to the elements of the strange gameboard they are using to look at the world. It is a kind of belief structure that forces all incoming information into conformity with a carefully constructed but very limited view of the world. This is why they are having such a hard time adapting to what has happened – Obama made a new board with new rules and these guys are lost because they don’t recognize the game pieces or what they mean. This blindness is obvious by the pick of Palin to try to get Clinton supporters – They did not understand the dynamic and did not see that this response had nothing to do with what the Clinton supporters wanted.

Anyway, Love your show and best of luck to you. In a way I don’t think it is good to merely make a liberal counter point to FNC but understand the need for offering the other side of the bias map. But it could be nice to go back to actually attempting to present things in a more neutral way.

Your friend

Cecil Touchon

What Constitutes A Massurreality?

by Cecil Touchon

Breaking it down into three components:

MASS:

This is a reference to mass media - Television, movies, electronic, digital, computer influence, ads, print, billboard & other means as art. A new generation of artists are living in the age of mass-media, the internet, nuclear devices, and genetic engineering and the perennial question of what does it all mean? The details of daily life.

SUR: (Super):

Sur is interesting because it can have two meanings which are opposite of each other Transcendental / Superficial If you combine these meanings you have the completion - "Mind is Heaven and Hell. The akasha or accommodation is not so different from the sky. Sky we see at day or night: in the day there is a single torch yet all illumination; in the night there are many lamps, yet darkness. Sky at night is like the mind replete with knowledge of names and forms -- it is still in darkness -- while sky at day is like illuminated mind." (Samuel Lewis ) In this sense we are mostly discussing night conditions - many lights, yet darkness.

REALITY:

This is a reference more to Consensus Reality than any other- The one assumed to be experienced by all used by mass media - average, sensual reality, This is the one surrealism is 'surring' from

Surrealism: of course, this is the original movement that is the basis of Massurrealism but taking into account the growth of advertising, mass media, widened perspective, Pop Art, capitalism, etc.

The Massurreality then, is an overarching surrogate humo-centric reality constructed by humanity which forms a part of and is intertwined within the Unified Field of Dogma.

The current modernist version is not unlike what Guy Debord calls the Society of the Spectacle. However, we shall refer here to the Massurreality in a more positive way than Debord's more alienating and negative critique of modern society that he called the Society of the Spectacle.

The Massurreality is gradually growing into all economic and geographic sectors of humanity driven by the ubiquitous corporate desire for constant economic expansion. This expansion brings with it the program of the continuous, mantric repetition of positive advertising messages about the commodities that these corporate entities wish to sell to the general consumer population in order to inspire in it the sense of need for the commodities which are presented. A central theme of these laudatory messages is that through the purchase of these commodities the consumer not only receives the physical product itself but, by imbibing the product, is additionally imbued with all of the positive traits shown in the commercials and is tacitly accepted as a member of modern society.

In order for corporations to manufacture a need for their products there must first be in place the instruments of communicating their persuasive arguments regarding those products which will bequeath the modern dream upon those who are assumed to so badly be in need of it and who, ironicly, come to regard themselves has having developed such a need.

These instruments of communication, in their most powerful form - television and radio - provide exciting and entertaining images that implant the dream of belonging in the mind of a receptive audience. This milieu of tele-visual mass media communication provides what has become the bi product of the corporate desire for expansion which is the knowledge of the cultural envelope - via news, entertainment and sporting events - that are provided as content between the central purpose of tele-visual media namely to transmit corporate advertising messages.

Thus, the corporate process of manufacture, distribution and retail availability of the wide range of advertised products of modern society is the backbone of this spreading denatured, refined and enriched massurreality in which most are engulfed. The 'content' serving to flesh out the cultural context in which products may find their consumer base.

Through this massurreality we accept by default our individual identities chosen and built from a pre-established menu of dreams and social conventions at the center of which is our identity as a modern consumer of products. The messages within our massurreality are all orchestrated before us in a cacophony of seeming related information of various types.

However, upon analysis there is no relation between one message and the next other than the fact that they share the same form of media presentation giving a visual uniformity that we assume suggests an underlying unity of purpose.

Additional:

"We all live in a great Massurreality. It is the world that we, as humans have self created through our use of media. When we watch TV, listen to the radio, read a book or news paper, go to a church, a school or an art museum, when we dabble on the internet or read any sign along the highway as we sit in our vehicles we are absorbing our minds in a humo-centric reality that stand apart from the natural world. In this mental construct we have an identity. It is a borrowed identity, an identity given to us by way of name, by way of race, by way of socio-economic standing, by way of our education, our religion, our occupation, our buying habits. Each of us proudly occupies a place in a variety of demographic parameters. This is our massurrealist identity, our place in the great Massurreality."

Rachel,

In anticipation of the Obama win, I launched a new organization called the Creative Caucus – The Voice of Positive Change. http://creativecaucus.org

We are hoping to create a dialog among creatives to explore how we might have a positive voice and effect on the Massurreality.

I’ll keep you informed.

Cecil Touchon

http://touchon.com

The Day America Grew Up

2008-11-06T15:41:00.001-08:00

I've seen person-on-the-street-reports of the palpable calm in these new days after the election, and I can say, hand on heart, I feel it too - in myself and others. Drivers are less reckless and more considerate of others, people seem just a tad lighter in themselves, and most of us seem happier.

I believe 4th November 2008 will go down in the annals of history as the day America grew up.

Statesmanship, eloquence, erudition, hope, vision, passion, inspiration and dignity have finally come back to the fore. The revolution in values has begun. With a bit of luck, profit as the highest value has seen it's best days, never to be seen again.

Not only is this badly needed shift in values on the horizon, we finally heard and heeded the wisdom of an African American. Yes we did! We are now worthy of the noble and beautiful hopes of Dr. King, we have judged a man by the content of his character, not the color of his skin.

I say well done us! We've demonstrated to the world that we've grown up and are ready to join the rest of the civilized nations on this planet.

We've also freed our citizens from some of the psychic baggage of slavery with this result, and I look forward to what hopefully becomes a lasting and genuine detente on our streets and in our world.

Hi Artists

2008-11-05T19:26:00.000-08:00

Hi There,

I found this group through an Assemblage online group that I joined recently.

Last night Obama's speech inspired me to do something...what I did not know.

How excited was I that my beloved Mac brought me here.

I'm still trying to figure out what I personally can do to help...other than read, be vigilant and make art that expresses what I'm seeing going on...and pass this on to every artist I know.

I like to work to promote the beauty...the beauty in the ugliness...and the ugly in the beautiful.

Ok...I just wanted to make a first post so I'd officially not just lurk.

Cheers all.

It's a good day.

Amy

Hello Creative Caucus

2008-11-05T17:23:00.000-08:00

Hello Cecil (& New Members),

I learned about this forum from your message to the collage group and the idea is very inspiring. Thank you for your tireless work on behalf of all of us out here.

What really got me going is the interest in analyzing political and corporate propaganda - with a view to a better world.

I frequently find myself screaming at atrocious ad campaigns and the seeming lack of learning behind them. This moment I'm annoyed with the Brooke Shields Volkswagen Routon (sp?) ads. Does anyone else think the term "German engineering" and babies together in the same concept screams Nazis and Mengele and eugenics? Is this in poor taste, offensive even, or is it just me???? Someone, anyone, please share your thoughts (and I'm not Jewish - for the record).

It seems to me it's been too, too long since I heard anyone call for genuine critique, and now, in the U.S. with our new President-elect, maybe the time is ripe for all of us to put the thinking caps back on and get back on the road to building a future that's as bright as can be for everyone on this planet.

YES WE CAN!!! (sorry - I am very pleased that we Baracked the vote)

Here's to some engaging stuff on the e horizon....

BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN: CHAMPIONS FOR ARTS AND CULTURE

2008-11-05T16:44:00.000-08:00

For Immediate Release
11/05/2008

Contact:
Liz Bartolomeo, Americans for the Arts Action Fund
press@artsusa.org
202-371-2830

Americans for the Arts Action Fund Statement on the 2008 Election

WASHINGTON, DC — November 5, 2008 — Americans for the Arts Action Fund
President and CEO Robert L. Lynch gave the following statement on the
results of Election Day:

"The historic election of Sen. Barack Obama to be the 44th President
of the United States will have tremendous impact on the nation's arts
community, public schools, and creative workforce. His commitment to
arts and arts education on the campaign trail is just a preview of
what his administration can accomplish. President-elect Obama
demonstrates the leadership and vision to advance the arts in America
through investing in more arts education in public schools, increased
funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, promoting cultural
diplomacy, and supporting artists rights.

Yesterday's election results also expanded the base of support for the
arts in Congress, which will help move arts and arts education
initiatives through the legislative process. Initiatives that will
fuel innovation and creativity are key to our economic recovery and
global competitiveness. A new report issued last month by The
Conference Board, 'Ready to Innovate,' touts the importance of arts
education in building the 21st century workforce. The arts are good
for business, good for the economy, and good for the spirit.

In this election, the Americans for the Arts Action Fund raised the
public dialogue about the arts and arts education throughout the
entire campaign cycle: from presidential primaries in New Hampshire to
Congressional races in all 50 states. Through our ArtsVote2008
initiative, we successfully advocated for presidential and
congressional candidates to make strong, public statements and
commitments in support of arts and arts education.

On the state- and local-front, our arts advocacy partners successfully
engaged candidates and voters throughout the country to provide more
support for the arts. Specifically in Minnesota, an historic statewide
ballot initiative—the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment—passed
amending the state constitution to dedicate a portion of sales tax to
support its natural and cultural resources. This initiative will
infuse $30 million alone to Minnesota cultural organizations, nearly
tripling the current budget of the State Arts Board. An additional $10
million to $20 million will fund arts education programs, the
Minnesota Historical Society, and other local historical societies.
This continues the longstanding trend demonstrating that voters are
willing to invest in public funding of the arts."

For an interactive timeline of ArtsVote2008's election activities
visit, www.ArtsVote.org.

The Americans for the Arts Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit
membership organization. Launched in 2004, the Arts Action Fund seeks
to mobilize citizen activists to help ensure that arts-friendly public
policies are adopted and candidates are elected at every level of
government. Additional information is available at www.ArtsActionFund.org

http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/additional/Obama_FactSheet_Arts.pdf

The Creative Caucus - The Voice of Change

2008-11-02T09:56:00.000-08:00

The creative caucus has been formed to create a forum and a voice for the creative community from around the world. Our mission is to establish a diverse global community that brings together those working in the creative professions in order to discuss issues related to establishing and maintaining creative culture on a local, national and global level.

Our intention is to examine sociopolitical conditions from a cultural point of view with the idea of coming to a consensus and publishing public recommendations for improving the conditions that lead to healthy and safe cultural expression for those engaged in creative experiment and to give a thumbs up or thumbs down to political candidates, governmental policies and news media.

We will look at and discuss political propaganda and corporate advertising to assess its message and the overt and covert implications as well as the creative expressions of Pop Culture and the undercurrents it points to.

We foster diversity, openness, tolerance and the free expression of ideas and viewpoints as they relate to the creative community which gives shape to the world we live in. It is our right to be creative and our duty to consider the impact of our activities on the broader community.

We recognize that everything that takes shape in the world of mankind is given shape and form by the creative community.

We recognize that it is we who are the innovators, we who are the problem solvers, we who are those who dream up what will become reality for everyone in society.

We recognize that it is we who design the places where people live, we who design the products that people use in their daily lives, we who invent and decide every detail that surrounds and supports the lives of every person.

Join us to explore the ethics and the issues surrounding the creative culture, its impact on society and the sociopolitical impact of society on creative culture. Share your knowledge and views on politics and policy as it relates to helping or hampering the free exchange of creative ideas and innovations in societies around the world.

creativecaucus.org