Act 41 VIVID/Fierce, Birmingham
Act 41 took place at 2.30pm on Saturday 31 March 2012 in the grounds of Birmingham Cathedral with 10 Co-Recitors in English, French and Romanian. Act 41 was presented by VIVID and FIERCE Festival with refreshments hosted at Kafe 6/8
Act 41 is reviewed by Fierce Press Gang and by Beverley Knowles at this is tomorrow
Article 13 Mo White
Article 27.1 Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and share in scientific advancement and it’s benefits.
The central city site of the Cathedral’s grounds was a challenging place to speak from so many, many thanks to all the Co-Recitors for their courage in taking part. Shortly before the recitation VIVID sadly had to announce their closure, an event which brought Article 27 strongly into focus and gave Act 41 the privilege of becoming VIVID’s final event.:
Established in 1992, VIVID has become a leading organisation within the region and has achieved a strong reputation for its work with artist moving image and its track record of forging new collaborations between artists, the academic sector and industry. From the little seen work of the Film and Video Workshop Movement; to festivals about Fluxus and new shows from rising British artists such as Venice Silver Lion winner Haroon Mirza, the exhibition programme has won acclaim for juxtaposing new artist research and practice with key historical works and movements … to read the full announcement please go to www.vivid.org.uk
Many, Many thanks to VIVID’s Director, Yasmeen Baig-Clifford; Nicola Lowery, Laura Coult, Marian Hall and Sam Groves at VIVID: Co-Director of FIERCE Harun Morrison, Caroline and Stewards and all at FIERCE; the Very Reverend Catherine Ogle, Dean of Birmingham, Carole Currier, the Vergers and all at Birmingham Cathedral who enabled Act 41 to be realised; everyone who came and witnessed Act 41; and last but not least, the young man who took the mike and re-iterated the following after the recitation seemed to have ended:
Article 1 All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
Act 41 Saturday 31 March 2012
That’s why I didn’t notice the copper cycling through the recitation; I was reciting at the time! How very dare he! ha ha.
I love the photo of Chris reciting and the people sitting/lying on the floor and the woman with red trousers. Brilliant!
WOW! These photos are brilliant. Well done Bernard! The first one is so majestic with the cathedral in the background. I think this event/the photos have really captured Birmingham’s multifarious personalities and cultures. As I was not feeling very well that day it’s great to be able to ruminate on the event through these photographs. I’m so thrilled to have been part of this and to meet all involved. Monica, I will be getting in touch with you soon as I have an idea…! I’m also very happy because, looking at the first photo,I can see one of the homeless men I work with was watching. I wish he had gotten involved, he’s a great performer!
peace and love xx
hi im luke who did article 3 on the day
just wanted to say thanks for letting me get involved on such short notice
and my full name is luke thomas edwards.
is there a video up of the event??
thanks again luke.
dear luke,
many thanks for being in touch – was wondering how i would find out your full name and thank you for taking part on saturday! there will be video, that will take a bit longer- meantime i’m updating the page above and will send out some stills for everyone to see later today. fierce press gang have also posted a concise and insightful review here if you would like to have a look:
http://www.wearefierce.org/archives/4173
best for now, monica
I’d like to do Article 19, 25, 27.1
hi hermione, that’s fantastic – thank you!
hi again Hermione- are you going to speak your Articles in English?
hey monica! great to hear from you! yes i will be speaking in English; unfortunately my ability to speak another language does not extend this far! really looking forward to the event on saturday. hope you are well =D
Hello Monica!
I will do my best with Article 13 in English; which has some relevance for me – I can’t do it in Gaelic unless I’m allowed to ad-lib, which I think I’m not!
See you on Saturday,
Mo
that’s great Mo- thank you … there is a copy of the udhr in gaelic here….
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Pages/Language.aspx?LangID=gli1
?
hi Monica,
I’d like to do articles 20 and 23 .. in english … have to say I dont think Ill be able to do them entirely from memory.
my partner Chris is happy to do an article in French and or in English perhaps 24 and 21
I hope to persuade some friends to come along .. but they may not be able to commit, before the day
lets hope the weather stays mild … its going to be great
glynis
hi Glynis,
thanks so much. if you like we could divide the 4 points of Article 23 between us?
In the meeting at VIVId Haroon mentioned the particular relevance of point 1 at the moment, (which includes the right to free choice of employment), given the current DHSS / Work Placement Schemes with PoundStretcher and other companies., so it’s great that you are going to do it…not to mention point 2 and the equal pay debate 63 years on….!
wish you all the best for your memorising – am also going to be working on mine today… it is the attempt or struggle to remember under pressure that matters- as you’ll see even though i’ve done it so many times i still make loads of mistakes…
thanks so much for taking this on and look forward to seeing you, and meeting chris, on saturday – hopefully in the sun!
yes dividing the subclauses sounds good
please do sign up Chris Turner for articles 21 and 24 in French and if you want English
glad you are using 6/8 kafe …
ok let’s do that , we can decide which points when we meet on saturday – the plan is to meet in Kafe 6/8 from 1.00 and then return there after the recitation for refreshments.
many thanks to Chris too- think this will be the second time we’ve had Article 24 in French, which seems appropriate in terms of upholding worker’s rights to holidays with pay!
3 artists groups are circulating the call to recite, esp. Article 27. I’m going to attempt that one.Lousy are remembering lines but will have a go.
yes! fantastic- thanks!
I’m going with Articles 16 & 29 and hoping my wife will join us too, depending on childcare for our little girls.I’m really looking forward to Saturday.
that’s two long ones.! great, thank you. and i’m always grateful when someone else takes Article 16 , it’s not the most popular article as so much controversy is embedded within it
if you would like to hear interviews with previous Co-Recitors about why they took part and why they chose the Articles they recited there are some great radio interviews at these links:
Act 31
http://radiozerobrighton.podomatic.com/entry/2011-05-25T09_31_58-07_00
Act 37
http://soasradio.org/act-memory-0
the soas podcast includes Articles being spoken in Amharic, Persian, Tegregna and Twi – a language of Ghana
Great meeting Monica at the Vivid workshop. I’m gonna try and memorise at least two Articles. How’s everyone else doing?
cheers Haroon and great to hear from you