PLEASE FORWARD WHEREVER APPROPRIATE! THANKS!
1 January 1996
Dear Friends,
As we pass into the New Year, many North Americans are also
entering a third year of support work for the Zapatista Army of
National Liberation (EZLN) and the indigenous people of
Chiapas, Mexico. Due to the success of The Bank Job Poster
Project with the Vermont Coalition of the 50 Years Is Enough
Campaign, a new collective of artists and activists are embarking
on a project in support of the struggles in Chiapas and around
the world.
Enclosed you will find a call to artists (in English and Spanish)
for this new project, "Resistant Strains/Cepas Resistentes." Phase
I of the project is a poster series due for release on Cinco de
Mayo, 1996. It is described more fully in the artists call. Phase
II will be a high-quality tabloid (roughly 70% visual, 30%
textual) incorporating artistic thought on resistance struggles
throughout the world. This piece will be distributed prior to the
November elections, and is intended in part as an antidote to that
model of political participation. The tabloid is likely to include
work on the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the battle against
Shell Oil, human rights violations at the Freeport/McMoran gold
mine in Indonesia, activism against the Sardar Sarovar Dam in
India, union organizing against NAFTA and GATT in the United
States and social unrest in France.
We hope you will pass on the enclosed information to artists and
designers in your networks. We are particularly interested in
speaking to persons with expertise or contacts for fundraising. If
you would like more information, feel free to contact us:
David Thorne
Box 153b
Glover, VT 05839 USA
(802) 525-8853
e-mail: baseline@igc.apc.org
Sincerely,
Cheryl Brown cmbrown@igc.apc.org
Graciela Monteagudo
Christopher Myott wb50years@igc.apc.org
David Thorne baseline@igc.apc.org
Karen Topper vters4nica@igc.apc.org
Resistant Strains / Cepas Resistentes
January 1, 1996
Call to artists: Zapatista Poster Series
January 1, 1996 marks the second anniversary of the Zapatista
uprising in Chiapas, Mexico and the start of a third visible year
of EZLN (Zapatista Army of National Liberation) resistance. A
small group of artists and activists working with Vermont
Chiapas Action Network and the Vermont Coalition of 50 Years
Is Enough is coordinating a year-long project called "Resistant
Strains," the first phase of which is a series of 10 posters
focusing on the Zapatista response to ongoing economic
oppression, political exclusion, and genocide in Mexico. We
would like you to submit a design proposal for this poster series
by February 16, 1996. The intent of the posters is to provide an
aggressive and informative visual expression of solidarity with
the Zapatistas in the context of a mainstream media wash of the
Mexican dictatorships' continued occupation of Chiapas, and of
the U.S. government, corporate, and institutional underwriting
that helps make this occupation possible. The posters will
examine the implications and inspirations of the Zapatista
rebellion, and stress the necessity of such resistances in light of
economic globalization, conservative political climates, and
bogus notions of democratic participation. We will select 10
poster designs from the proposal submissions and oversee
production, printing, and distribution in time for Cinco de Mayo,
1996. Posters will be distributed through activist organizations,
community groups, and independent bookstores and galleries,
and are intended to be used for activism, education, postering,
and exhibition. Artists will receive $100 if their proposal is
selected for production, as well as 30 copies of their poster and
3 of the complete sets of 10.
Guidelines for Submissions
Non-"English-Only" works are encouraged. Collaborative works
are also encouraged, particularly collaborations between artists
and community or activist groups organizing around the EZLN,
U.S. policy in Mexico, migrant workers, NAFTA, and other
relevant issues. Proposals should include a clearly written
description of visual and textual elements, a short statement on
what the piece is about, a scale or actual size mock-up (drawing,
B&W laser print, etc.), and contact information. If you send any
items you need returned, please enclose a SASE.
Proposals should be sent to: David Thorne, Box 153b, Glover,
VT 05839. (802-525-8853; call to arrange fax or modem
transmission)
THE DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS IS FEBRUARY 16, 1996.
Some Things to Keep in Mind
The posters will be printed in two colors (black and PMS color,
or two PMS colors) on an uncoated 19x25 inch press sheet.
Final trim size is 18x24 inches. Please note that we will use two
inches across the bottom of each poster for purposes of text
translations and incorporation of project information identifying
each poster as part of the set. The actual live area is 18x22
inches. Artwork can bleed on all sides.
Central Themes
Works should address any of the following issues:
- U.S. role in funding, arming, training of Mexican military. -
Human rights issues in the occupied zones and beyond; parallels
with violence occurring to U.S. communities (genocide, racist
violence, hired guns [guardia blanca, cops, etc.]).
- Legacies of indigenous resistance to U.S. imperialism, in
Mexico and the U.S.
- Women in the Zapatista movement.
- Relevance of the Zapatista rejection of neo-liberal economic
policies (NAFTA, GATT, structural adjustment) to ruling class
concerns about the peso crisis (threat of domino effect,
immigrant "invasions," etc.), and to the current economic
restructuring in U.S. ("Contract on America").
- Role of institutional (World Bank, IMF, USAID) and corporate
(oil, agribusiness) interests in Mexican politics and in the
Chiapas region; environmental destruction in the Lacandon
rainforest.
- Characteristics of democracy and dictatorship.
- Zapatista politics and strategies (non-vanguardism, anti-statism,
use of the consulta, formation of the Zapatista Front of National
Liberation, etc.); successes and failures in the context of political
and media systems which assert the irrelevance of resistance.
(Note: this is not intended as an exhaustive list of topics but as
an indication of some of the things we've been talking about in
formulating this project. Any and all proposals are welcome.)
We believe it is important to continue to support the EZLN and
the struggle
for democracy, liberty, and justice in Mexico, and to draw
inspiration from the Zapatistas for similar struggles elsewhere,
particularly in the U.S., where political participation is diluted
into electoral submission. This poster series will link the
Zapatista uprising to other lines of resistance which actively
refuse present conditions of democracy and seek to expand the
possibilities for meaningful political action. If you have
questions or would like more information, please call David at
the number above. We look forward to hearing from you.
Cepas Resistentes / Resistant Strains
LLAMADO A ARTISTAS:
Series de posters zapatistas
El 1ro. de enero de 1996 marca el segundo aniversario del
levantamiento zapatista en Chiapas, Mexico y el comienzo del
tercer ano de resistencia visible del EZLN (Ejercito Zapatista de
Liberacion Nacional). Un pequeno grupo de artistas y activistas
trabajando con la "Red de Accion Vermont-Chiapas" (Vermont
Chiapas Action Network) y la seccion en Vermont de la
"Coalicion Cincuenta Anos Basta" (50 Years Is Enough
Coalition) estan coordinando un proyecto de un ano de duracion
llamado "Cepas Resistentes", la primer a parte del cual es una
serie de 10 posters enfocados en la respuesta zapatista a la
opresion economica, exclusion politica y genocidio imperantes
en Mejico. Nos gustaria que Uds. nos hiciera llegar una
propuesta de diseno para esta serie de posters antes de febrero
16, 1996. El objetivo de los posters es proveer una expresion
visual agresiva e informativa de solidaridad con los zapatistas en
el contexto del manejo fraudulento de la prensa de la ocupacion
tinua de las dictaduras mexicanas de Chiapas, y del apoyo del
gobierno de los Estados Unidos, sus corporaciones e
instituciones que hacen esta ocupacion posible. Los posters
examinaran las implicaciones y aspiraciones de la rebelion
zapatista y enfatizaran la necesidad de tal resistencia de cara a la
globalizacion economica, clima politico conservador, y nociones
de falsa participacion democratica. Seleccionaremos 10 disenos
de posters de las propuestas recibidas y dirigiremos la
produccion, impresion y distribucion a tiempo para el Cinco de
Mayo de 1996. Los posters seran distribuidos a traves de
organizaciones de activistas, grupos comunitarios y galerias y
librerias independientes, y seran destinados para ser usados para
activismo, educacion, colocacion en lugares publicos y
exhibicion. Los artistas recibiran 100 dolares si su propuesta es
seleccionada para produccion, asi como 30 copias de su poster y
3 juegos completos de 10.
Lineamientos para entrega de propuestas
Fomentamos los trabajos no-"English-Only". Tambien
fomentamos los trabajos en colaboracion, particularmente
colaboraciones entre artistas y la comunidad o grupos de
activistas organizados alrededor del EZLN, politica
estadounidense en Mexico, trabajadores migrantes, NAFTA, y
otras instancias relevantes. Las propuestas deben incluir una
descripcion claramente escrita de los elementos visuales y
textuales, una pequena declaracion del tema del trabajo, un
sketch o dibujo de tamano natural o en escala e informacion
sobre como contactar al artista. Si Ud. envia cualquier material
que desea le sea devuelto, por favor incluya un sobre
estampillado con su nombre y direccion al que desea le sea
enviado de vuelta el material. Las propuestas deben ser enviadas
a David Thorne, Box 153b, Glover, VT 05839. El telefono es
(802) 525-8853; por favor llamar para indicar que desea
establecer conexion por fax o modem.
LA FECHA DE ENTREGA DE LOS PROPUESTAS ES
FEBRERO 16, 1996.
Algunas cosas para tener Los posters seran imprimidos en dos
colores en papel mate, en hojas de 19 x 25 pulgadas. El tamano
final sera de 18 x 24 pulgadas. Por favor tome en cuenta que
usaremos dos pulgadas en el borde inferior de cada poster con
propositos de traduccion de textos e incorporacion de
informacion del proyecto identificando cada poster como parte
del juego. El area real para la imagen sera de 18 x 22 pulgadas.
Temas Centrales
Los trabajos se deben enfocar en cualquiera de los siguientes
temas:
- Papel de los Estados Unidos en proveer fondos, armas y
entrenamiento a los militares mexicanos.
- Violaciones de derechos humanos en las zonas ocupadas y en
otras; paralelos con violencia en las comunidades
estadounidenses (genocidio, violencia racial, guardias privados
[guardia blanca, policia, etc.).
- Legado de la resistencia indigena al imperialismo
norteamericano, en Mexico y Estados Unidos.
- Mujeres en el movimiento zapatista.
- Relevancia del rechazo zapatista a las politicas economicas
neo- liberales (NAFTA, GATT, ajuste estructural), a la
preocupacion de la clase gobernante por la crisis del peso
(amenaza del efecto domino, "invasiones" de inmigrantes, etc.) y
a la restructuracion economica actual en los Estados Unidos
("Contrato sobre America").
- Papel de los intereses institucionales (Banco Mundial, FMI,
USAID) y corporativos (petroleo, comercio agricultor) en la
politica mejicana y en la region de Chiapas; destruccion del
medio ambiente en la selva del Lacandon.
- Politica y estrategia de los zapatistas (no-vanguardismo, anti-
estatismo, uso de la consulta, etc.); exitos y fracasos en el
contexto de la prensa y ei sistemapolitico que declaran la
irrelevancia de la resistencia. (Nota: esto no pretende ser una
lista exhaustiva de los temas sino una indicacion de algunas
cosas de las que hemos estado hablando al formular este
proyecto. Cualquier propuesta seva bienvenida.)
Creemos que es importante continuar el apoyo al EZLN y su
lucha por la democracia, libertad y justicia en Mexico, e
inspirarnos en los zapatistas para otras luchas en otros lugares,
particularmente en los Estados Unidos en donde la participacion
politica esta diluida en el sometimiento electoral. Esta serie de
posters conectara al levantamiento zapatista con otras lineas de
resistencia que activamente rechazan las presentes condiciones
de la democracia y buscan expandir las posibilidades de acciones
politicas significativas. Si tienen preguntas o desean mayor
informacion, por favor llamen a David al numero que figura mas
arriba. Esperamos saber de Uds.