Read article HERE
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
I know, I'm shocked too!
Yes. I am completely surprised to say the following too, but: The Daily Kos is promoting A4I.
Take a deep breath.
Read HERE
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Thank You, Smiling Swine
SMILING SWINE is the creative collective behind many of the extraordinary visuals you see on the A4I blog and press materials. Please contact them to do some of your work too.
Many of the other images are created by our talented and expanding pool of artists, but it is necessary to single out and thank Seth Wolfson, Hermlife, SueWorks, C.J. Reilly III and Brian Donovan for their amazing contributions.
The March of Fools Continues...
Add Bill Lucas and Kathleen Crocetti from Santa Cruz to the list of fools, weirdos, unsuccessful artists and generally misinformed citizens who have been duped into attempting to enter Gaza for a "peace rally." As expected, they have been stopped by Egyptian border police. As is usual, these individuals have some mild attachment to the arts and fit into the growing "cultural war" that Hamas has been fighting against Israel.
Unfortunately for all, weapons, rockets and terrorists have no problem getting into Gaza.
Call me cynical, but I am starting to believe this is all a staged PR stunt.
Gaza & Graffiti: A4I is the Only Alternative
Long, comprehensive (incredibly biased, anti-Israel) article HERE on how Gaza is using graffiti for many purposes, including p.r.
Proof of why A4I exists and why we need your support.
The Gun and the Garden
We are a generation of settlers, and without the steel helmet and gun barrel, we shall not be able to plant a tree or build a house.
-- Moshe Dayan
Calling "bullshit" on Peter Offord
Peter Offord, a politician so unimportant he doesn't even have a wikipedia page, and a member of England's Green Party in a small town council whose biggest mission is reducing the speed limit to 20 and choosing which old age homes to close, has taken it upon himself to act as a voice for both the arts and the people of Gaza. Excuse my large yawn of disinterest.
Yet, not allowing his relative ignorance and impotency to prevent him from sticking his nose where it doesn't belong, Peter allowed himself to be made a pawn by the P.R. forces supporting the terrorist dictatorship of Gaza. Peter attempted to travel to Gaza, via Egypt, to deliver "art supplies." Of course, he was stopped by the Egyptian army that patrols its border with Gaza. Of course, he and others are attempting to make this big news.
According to Peter, who has achieved nothing as of yet:
Mr Offord said the trip had still fulfilled its objective to raise awareness of the situation in Gaza and help victims of the conflict.
Sort of makes me believe the whole art thing was one big sham.
Perhaps if he were smuggling rockets or other terrorist items, he would have had more success. There is always next time.
Need I mention how ridiculous it is for any Green party member to have anything negative to say about Israel, the leading state protector of the environment? No, I didn't think I needed to either.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Death to the Dictator
Iranian students and those on the side of democracy have begun pushing for change in their oppressive government through the art of the downtrodden, graffiti. But, in a brutal dictatorship, where a dissenting opinion will most likely be punished with torture and death, an artist must be very careful. That is why, many Iranians are putting their graffiti on money, writing such slogans as "DEATH TO THE DICTATOR" on Iranian banknotes.
Good article describing the bubbling revolution HERE
Monday, December 21, 2009
Hamas Steals Our Style
I am not going to discuss anything about the Hamas 22nd Anniversary rally since every other site has already given their take.
I just want to point out this little nugget that is being widely reported:
"Painters drew graffiti showing a home-made rocket directed at Tel Aviv, the Israeli metropolis that Hamas rockets have so far never struck."
C'mon guys, you get the murder and terrorism and child abuse...let us keep the graffiti thing - ok?
Is there a Palestine in New Mexico?
Great article on a Chicano writer/actor who attempts to display thoughts on his potential Jewish heritage and discovers that Anti-Israel sentiments is just a Spanish word for Anti-Semitism. Great insight, also, in the roles Jews play in progressive theater. Read article HERE.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Rachel Corrie is a Prostitute and the UJA is her Pimp
My Name is Rachel Corrie is a piece of propaganda disguised as a play. It is based on the true story of an American girl (shown above tearing an American flag and covered in the oppressive women's garb of an Arab servant) who was used by Palestinian terrorists to guard the weapons smuggling tunnels they had built under a conspirator's home. As a tool of their attempts to create civilian casualties, Rachel was placed in front of an oncoming Israeli bulldozer sent to destroy the smuggling tunnels. She died and the wealthy "Palestinian" p.r. machine has since turned her into a martyr as opposed to the hapless victim she was, brutalized by a people with a long history of turning innocents into shields and walking bombs.
The play is currently being shown, for a large turn of profit, by a Stanford student in California. A movie adaptation of the play, simply called Rachel, was also screened at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival where Rachel's bereaved parents, also manipulated into being tools of the very terrorists who caused their daughter's death, were invited to speak. The problems with that invitation are nicely summarized HERE.
The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival receives a generous amount of its funding from the UJA. Artists 4 Israel is saddened that the UJA would allow itself to fund such pieces of propaganda disguised as art. This is offensive to those who believe in open dialogue as the play is full of lies and deceptions parading as truth and to those who support the arts as paid work of this nature is no longer art but should be, instead, considered nothing more than a paid advertisement.
Seven Jewish Children: Call to Action
Artists 4 Israel calls on all actors, writers, dancers and theater go-ers to submit their application for this casting call with the words "Art, Not Propaganda" written across the top of your resume and headshot. If you want to protest in person, the castings are being held at The Producer's Club: Address: 358 West 44th StreetNew York, NY 10036-5426(212) 315-4743. ART, NOT PROPAGANDA. READ MORE BELOW
Caryl Churchill, a self-proclaimed feminist and member of the "Palestine" Solidarity Campaign (how one can be both is confusing in and of itself), a loose confederation of uninformed misanthropes and spotlight seeking attention whores, is most famous (of course) for having written the play Seven Jewish Children.
SJC is a ten minute "history" of Israel. Shockingly enough, the 10 minutes does little to provide a fair, nuanced, reasoned or, even, rational account of the history of this beautiful and complex nation. What is not shocking is that the play is considered by many to be Anti-Semitic, biased, and quite bad art to boot. Wikipedia lists some far more damning criticism:
Christopher Hart of the The Sunday Times, condemning the play for its "straitjacketed political orthodoxy," criticized Churchill's "ludicrous and utterly predictable lack of even-handedness," typical, he said, of the "enclosed, fetid, smug, self-congratulating and entirely irrelevant little world of contemporary political theatre."[20] Theatre critic Jan Dalley of the Financial Times described the play as "agitprop" harking back to long-discredited revolutionary ideas,[21] similar to Bret Stephens's criticism in the Wall Street Journal. [22] and Susannah Clapp's criticism in The Observer. [23] Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic Monthly also calls the play a blood libel and said it was "the mainstreaming of the worst anti-Jewish stereotypes -- for instance, that Jews glory in the shedding of non-Jewish blood -- is upon us".[24] Columnist Melanie Phillips wrote that the play is "An open vilification of the Jewish people... drawing upon an atavistic hatred of the Jews” and called it an "open incitement to hatred”
Where else to find such rubbish but at a New York theater. Recently, I received the following casting call:
SEEKING PERFORMERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING ON POLITICAL PLAY!
Upcoming Equity Showcase, is casting:
1 Male soldier, late 20s-early 30s
1 Male soldier, early-mid 20s
4 dancers--male and/or female, no specified age
3-5 actors, male and/or female, no specified age
The showcase will be comprised of the play by Caryl Churchill, Seven
Jewish Children, in addition to dance, song, poetry, and multimedia
performances. All proceeds from show will be donated to the UK-based organization
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP).
Auditions will be held from 6:30-9pm at the Producer's Club on Friday,
Dec. 18th. Appointment only, this is NOT an open call!!
Actors please prepare a 1-minute contemporary, dramatic monologue. You
may also be asked to read from sides after monologue.
Dancers will be asked to learn a choreographed piece for the audition. You
can also prepare 1-minute choreographed piece of your choice, but this is
not necessary. We will provide speakers for iPod or mp3 player hookup for
music.
Send headshots and resumes, as well as your preferred audition time to
7jewishchildren@gmail.com
Artists 4 Israel calls on all actors, writers, dancers and theater go-ers to submit their application for this casting call with the words "Art, Not Propaganda" written across the top of your resume and headshot.
Thank you.
Soap Opera Stars
Artists 4 Israel is proud to announce that Jason Odell Williams, star of All My Children and One Life to Live will be performing in Love and Licenses on January 6th, 2010.
You can purchase tickets at www.loveandlicenses.com
PACBI: The Unauthorized New Logo
As an organization that is both Anti-Israel and Anti-Arts, PACBI stands as the exact, polar opposite to Artists 4 Israel. Like a negative of the picture of tolerance, freedom and creativity that Artists 4 Israel represents, PACBI stands in stark contrast, a simplified, colorless error that while interesting to look at (like car accidents) offers no clarity, no sense and provides no beauty.
That such an organization would exist and further, that it would allow itself to attempt to justify censorship while serving as an apologist for terrorism, oppression and the crimes committed by the very people it claims to represent, is disheartening to the artistic and creative community.
As such, to give the arts and creative community some heart, A4I has asked them to do what they do best. We have asked them to re-imagine the PACBI logo as it really should be represented. Unlike PACBI who fights dialogue and creativity with intimidation, harassment and censorship, we welcome dialogue and we fight their injustices with humor, wit and thoughtfulness. we proudly reveal the first Unauthorized New PACBI logo.
That such an organization would exist and further, that it would allow itself to attempt to justify censorship while serving as an apologist for terrorism, oppression and the crimes committed by the very people it claims to represent, is disheartening to the artistic and creative community.
As such, to give the arts and creative community some heart, A4I has asked them to do what they do best. We have asked them to re-imagine the PACBI logo as it really should be represented. Unlike PACBI who fights dialogue and creativity with intimidation, harassment and censorship, we welcome dialogue and we fight their injustices with humor, wit and thoughtfulness. we proudly reveal the first Unauthorized New PACBI logo.
Choir of Clare College and the PACBI: The Background
The Choir of Clare College at Oxford University, a distinguished ensemble in a prestigious institute of higher learning, will be exercising their freedom of religion and expression in Israel this December. They have been selected to perform Bach’s touching Christmas Oratorio at the Church of the Nativity in Israel as part of a Christmas celebration. They will also be performing in Tel Aviv, the area that many consider to be Israel’s Soho, Haifa, an ethnically diverse port town where Arab and Jewish Israelis live peacefully together fueled by coffee shops and poetry readings and in the ancient city of Jerusalem.
The Choir of Clare College is a respected choral group who lead services three times a week at the University’s chapel. They are known both for their highly respected and emotive musicianship as well as for their commitment to the ideals of the Chapel and their sense of morality and religious tolerance.
Last month, a group that appears unwilling to accept the principles of morality, tolerance and freedoms and seemingly opposed to the arts described above have attempted to prevent the Choir from participating in this beautiful, religious and artistic ceremony. The group calls themselves the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI). PACBI published an open letter to the Choir of Clare College at Oxford University demanding they cancel their planned religious celebration.
PACBI is the same organization that protested Leonard Cohen’s concert in Israel. They are the same organization that have effectively attempted to annihilate arts and culture within and emanating from Israel.
Artists 4 Israel, a community of creative individuals working together in on-going, collaborative projects expressing Israel’s right to exist take great offense to the censoring and threatening actions of PACBI. As an arts group, we demand that all art be treated with respect and allowed free and unfettered access to expression. As an Israel advocacy organization, we are once again dismayed by the activities of her neighbors and enemies thay seek to prevent dialogue and communication. Only when PACBI begins to practice the free and unconditional support of the arts, as is practiced in Israel, will there be hope for peace.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The Only Pro-Israel Art in London since Churchill
Shouts to Goldie, Jim Cereal, Tek13 and SAMER who put on the One Trick Pony exhibition It's Grim Up North in association with Stussy and Artists 4 Israel.
In particular, SAMER got real funky with that A4I tag in his work and some seriously thoughtful pro-Israel pieces.
This is how you reach the masses, people.
Egypt, Movies, Blood Libels, Cousins, and Big Money
Anyone else think that the picture of the widow-peaked Jew dripping blood from his mouth is unflattering? How about calling it another modern-day example of the blood libel? Both seem to be fair as this movie poster could stand in for a 1930's piece of propaganda by Russian or Nazi henchmen.
Considering this is just the advertisement, I can't imagine the movie is any more kind to the Jews or Israel. And, it is not. The premise is of an "evil, Jewish spy" who kidnaps his Egyptian wife and takes her to the land of "sin and vice" otherwise known as Tel Aviv. In fact, the movie equates Israelis to Nazis, always the most bitterly ironic insult.
In case we didn't understand, the movie's star has this to say:
"There is no call for normalization with Israel in the movie," said Mona Zaki in an interview with London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat. "Until now, the Jews are the ones call us their 'cousins.'
Wouldn't you know it - the Egyptian audiences are eating it up and for two weeks straight virtually every showing of this ham-handed, propaganda crap fest has been sold out.
Our Freestyles Cost Money
Action Bronson x Meyhem Lauren x Solace. Peace to SMART Crew. Peace to Mey. Peace to LL. Forever.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
An Open Letter to ArtThreat.Net
Dear ArtThreat,
You claim to be the "leading media outlet devoted solely to political art, cultural policy, and contemporary media issues." You claim to only "discuss policy as it pertains to culture."
However, upon a review of your site, I came across multiple descriptions and promotions of art that either spoke against Israel or spoke for "Palestine." There was no coverage of art that was critical of "Palestine," spoke to Israel's beauty and strength, to what it has suffered by "Palestinian" terrorists or to anything that provided a fair, honest and well-rounded view of Israel or the conflict in the Middle East. In fact, a search for "Israel" on your site provided 18 hits, all of them which were negative.
Israel is a free democracy that guarantees rights for all her citizens. Israel supports the arts. Unlike in "Palestine" where artists face many restrictions by their own terrorist government, Israel encourages and does not censor the arts. In Israel, as throughout the world, art that is supportive of this rights-filled country exists. For further examples of such art, please see www.artists4israel.org. Your decision to not showcase this type of work, then, appears as if it was a deliberate, editorial decision. By only highlighting one side in the issue, ArtThreat is creating and promoting policy, in direct contradiction to your stated purpose.
As a website that prides itself on standing up against the establishment, particularly in the form of corporate news and entertainment, you are hypocritical by allowing yourselves to become just like them. You appear biased and have, seemingly, become a tool of the well-funded "Palestinian" propaganda machine. It is a shame that you would take art work funded by oil-rich governments as propaganda tools and display it as the work of the people standing up to oppression when, in reality, it most often is the very work of oppression.
I look forward to you providing more thorough and balanced coverage.
Sincerely,
Artists 4 Israel
Universal Jurisdiction
A very ill-defined legal idea known as "Universal Jurisdiction" is being abused by judges in the UK who have been bribed, harassed or otherwise put into the pocket of "Palestinian" rights activists. This quasi-law allows a British judge to seek the arrest of an international figure accused of a crime. These activist judges have used it in the past to threaten the arrest of Israeli Prime Ministers and other important public figures.
Most recently, Tzipi Livni, former Foreign Minister of Israel, cancelled a trip to London when she found out about her pending show-arrest and circus-prosecution. Outraged by this party foul and the brewing international relations melt-down, British government officials have begun taking steps to prevent this from happening again.
American officials welcome the change as they too have recently become targets of arrest threats from agitators.
Monday, December 14, 2009
We Censored Ourselves
When our graphic designer suggested this image as an advertisement for our night of theater, some of us loved it. Most of us, however, hated it. Considered it tasteless, crass and wondered why the man in the picture shaved his arms. So, for the first time ever, Artists 4 Israel has censored itself and will not be using this picture in any of our public advertisements. Unlike others who censor out of fear and intimidation - we do so simply out of finding way better pictures to use. So, I guess it isn't censorship as much as selection. Fine. Selection just doesn't sound nearly as scandalous!
Let Israel get Bad Jokes and Tasteless Dance Routines
Israel is one of a select group of finalists to host next year's MTV Europe awards. Apparently, no one can get enough Russel Brand.
Luckily, however, Israel is NOT in the running to get Jersey Shore season 2.
Israel looks to Cut Homophobia
It would seem that in a country that actually allows civil unions and has a Pride festival bigger than that of New York, homosexual advocates would feel content. But, not in Israel. Always striving to perfect their already quite impressive human rights record, Israel is making strides to further protect homosexuals.
A group of Israel artists and movie-makers began Cut Homosexuality, a campaign to create and show movies that promote acceptance and tolerance of all sexual lifestyles. Beginning this week, 10 of these films will be brought from the theaters into the home through television.
Regardless of your religious, political or general taste level, one must applaud a nation that concerns itself with human rights and does so through the healing medium of art.
Israel is so Butch Bradley
A good article HERE by David Horovitz on Butch Bradley, American comedian who is touring Israel raising money for a foundation for victims of terror. It is insightful to read about the creative process at work and how the holy and awesome old city of Jerusalem can inspire so many different reactions in people.
And, Butch speaking about how he wants to be killed:
Friday, December 11, 2009
Bring da Vinci with you
I'd always imagined that I would one day have use for this Last Supper image in one of my posts. But, I considered that it would be used the day I got that big, fat advocacy check and was officially retiring as the Bloganator of A4I and directing my minions from some Caribbean beach where the water is the color of my true love's eyes.
Turns out, though, that there are better uses for the image. The Italian Prime Minister has offered to bring original works by Leonardo da Vinci to the Knesset to be displayed there. Israel is unsure of whether to accept the offer because displaying the works would require heightened security and special temperature and other considerations for the building. All in all, a large expense for a country with other, more pressing needs.
I honor Israel for even trying to make this happen. A country that, in a time of war, still finds time for art is a country I am proud to support.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Bruno Interviews a Terrorist who is Not a Terrorist but Really is a Terrorist
Bruno was a terrible movie. Boring as all hell. Mostly, because it was cliche. Among the many cliches were "terrorists are bad guys." And, terrible interviews. They are also becoming way too familiar with the legal system. Ayman Abu Aita claims to be a local, "Palestinian" grocer and not, as Bruno suggested, a terrorist mastermind.
Except, the truth is that Aita served two years in prison for plotting a murder attack while he was a member of the al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigage. Thus, making him a terrorist.
Of course, this logic escapes the terrorist who is now suing everyone involved in the film from the producers to 3rd gaffer.
Burn...er...I mean Ban Farouk Hosni
UNESCO is the United Nation's Cultural arm. It is supposed to represent art and other such vehicles of freedom, expression and ideas.
But, in the literal no-man's land that is the UN, the favorite candidate to lead such a mission would be an individual who, himself, has threatened to burn books. No worries though - it was only Israeli books he wants to burn.
Farouk Hosni, seen below posing like any stupid tourist, is Egypt's Minister of Culture. Supposedly a progressive and an artist, Hosni has proven his Jew-hatingness by threatening, on the floor of Egypt's Parliament to personally burn Israeli books.
As an artist, I am offended. As a writer, I am fearful. As a Jew, well...I am not surprised. Unfortunately.
IPhone: Weapons of Mass Distraction
First off, I apologize for the much-overused subject line of this post. Would it have been better had I said Israel put the I in IPhone? No, I didn't think so either.
Today, the greatest threat to Israel's social-sanity and crowd-control abilities arrives. Today, Iphone is, officially, loosed upon the country of technological craving. I am uncertain the Messiah him/herself would be met with more joy unless s/he came with multiple apps and a sleek black casing.
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