OK, now it is getting really scary

Howdy!

Short quick hit.

MassMOCA (a really kick-ass place) is (maybe was) showing The Interventionists: Art in the Social Sphere. To quote from the web site

The Interventionists explores the work of contemporary artists who have utilized the strategies of art to engage non-art audiences. In large part, these strategies are influenced by the political art of the 1980s but they look entirely different. Strange tours of New York City, public laboratories on genetics, parasite mobile housing units, and architectural clothing are some examples of this tactical genre. The task of The Interventionists is to provide a large survey of these projects while maintaining their integrity as projects dedicated to social change. In so doing, the exhibition provides an insight into the changed role of political art since the late 80s.

While I don't use "public laboratories on genetics" or "architectural clothing" I know people who use both, and I utilize non-art strategies to engage art audiences, so this isn't too far from home.

Well, on Sunday, two of the members of the Critical Art Ensemble (the folk doing the exhibition) got subpoenaed by the FBI and are going to be indicted under the USA Patriot Act on June 15. (The AP article is here.)

First an Art dealer guts punched and threatened with death for exhibiting art, then artists get thrown into jail, what's next?

Thanks to Mikel for the lead.

And for some of the gory details on what it is like to be detained by the FBI, try this link