Happenings have it that they leave no one indifferent. They can surprise, alarm, but above all they break out of the rhythm of everyday life. They force you to react, which makes you unconsciously start taking part in the action organized by the artists. Even if it is lying dead or taking part in corporate events without an invitation, having a second-hand suit as a disguise. MSN and the Millennium Docs Against Gravity Festival invite you to the screenings!
In a series of films accompanying the exhibition "The Age of Half Shadows. Art in Times of Planetary Change" presents works that correspond with the themes taken up by the artists participating in the exhibition, which is waiting to open. Part of the review presented online are, among others, films in the Museum's Filmotheque and selected titles from the repertoire of the Millennium Docs Against Gravity Festival.
Tomorrow, May 21, at 7pm, two films will be presented on the MSN's YouTube channel.
Leeeżeć Community, "Leeeżenie trupem, or Testing the Theory of Miracles."
"Leeeżeć trupem, or testing the theory of miracles" took place under the building of the iconic "Hortex" cafe in Lodz's communist Poland on Piotrkowska Street. As probably the most popular meeting place at the time, crowded and full of potential and usually unaware participants of happenings, it became a mecca for street art in Lodz of that time. Artists created "cracks" in the seemingly orderly reality and bent social norms. In this action, members of the Leeeżeć Community simply lay together on the sidewalk of Lodz's busiest street, covered with white sheets, from under which protruded only black, elegant shoes.
This action, although extremely simple, triggered a whole avalanche of reactions from observers. It was also to some extent a test of social sensitivity. Passersby were for a moment pulled out of their routine and forced to respond in some way to this strange event. An event that, after all, carried an element of anxiety. Some observers checked to see if the artists were breathing, tried to poke them or looked under the sheets of white cloth. Most of them did not realize they were participating in an artistic action, the opposite of the art gallery.
"Yes Meni go to the revolution" by Andy Bilchbaum, Mike Bonano, Laura Nix
For 20 years, Andy Bilchbaum and Mike Bonanno, the famous activists known as Yes Meni, organized extremely bold, witty and controversial actions that caught the attention of the world media. The aim of the happenings was to expose acts of human rights violations committed by multinational corporations that committed crimes and machinations in order to make a profit. In this unequal struggle, the activists used only second-hand suits as their weapons, in which they shamelessly and with gusto sneaked into business events, posing as government officials or corporate representatives. In doing so, they showed the danger of a world ruled by money.
They depicted their experiences in two films: "Yes Meni" and "Yes Meni Fix the World." In the third film - "Yes Meni go to revolution " - the title characters are already in their forties and their continued activities are threatened by a mid-life crisis. And they face their biggest challenge to date - climate change on Earth. They approach it very professionally and personally, coming up with a series of spectacular actions. In one of them, they impersonate a representative of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is simply a lobbying house by day, and convince businessmen that the White House will support energy policies based on renewable sources. But this film is not only an entertaining and surprising account of their recent interventions, but also an interesting character study of the revolutionaries. By showing who the people really are, after whose campaigns crisis meetings of corporate boards are called, it gives a hopeful look at political activism and the idea of fighting to change the world for the better.
PLEASE NOTE: the films in the Thursday film series can be viewed only during the screening!
Learn more about the Thursday Film Series online at the MSN website.
