The God - Konstantin Bronzit Animation (2003)

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The Beginning: May 2004
»FBI Abducts Artist, Seizes Art
»Feds Unable to Distinguish Art from Bioterrorism
»Grieving Artist Denied Access to Deceased Wife's Body
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The Latest: October 11, 2007

SICKNESS, "ABSURD" DOJ PROSECUTION FORCE SCIENTIST TO PLEAD IN PRECEDENT-SETTING CASE
Scientist's Wife and Daughter Comment on Case

Buffalo, NY - Today in Federal District Court, Dr. Robert Ferrell, Professor of Human Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, under tremendous pressure, pled guilty to lesser charges rather than facing a prolonged trial for federal charges of "mail fraud" and "wire fraud" in a surreal post-PATRIOT Act legal case that has attracted worldwide attention.

"From the beginning, this has been a persecution, not a prosecution. Although I have not seen the final agreement, the initial versions contained incorrect and irrelevant information," said Dr. Dianne Raeke Ferrell, Dr. Ferrell's wife and an Associate Professor of Special Education and Clinical Services at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. (To read Gentry Ferrell's full statement, please visit:
http://caedefensefund.org/press/ferrellplea.html)

PLEA COMES AMIDST OVERWHELMING PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR DEFENDANTS

The plea bargain agreement comes at a time of overwhelming public support for the two defendants. A film about the case, Strange Culture - directed by Lynn Hershman Leeson and featuring Tilda Swinton (Chronicles of Narnia, Michael Clayton), Thomas Jay Ryan (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), and Peter Coyote (E.T., Erin Brockovich) - has drawn widespread critical praise and public interest, with screenings in dozens of U.S. cities after its selection to open both the 2007 Human Rights Watch International Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival documentary section. An October 1 screening of the film at the Museum of Modern
Art in New York City drew a crowd of 400 who stayed for an hour afterward for a discussion with Professor Kurtz, director Hershman Leeson, and actress Tilda Swinton. Special benefit screenings of the film in numerous cities have raised thousands of dollars to offset the two defendants' escalating legal costs.

BACKGROUND TO THE CASE

The legal nightmare of renowned scientist Dr. Robert Ferrell and artist and professor Dr. Steven Kurtz began in May 2004. Professor Kurtz and his late wife Hope were founding members of the internationally exhibited art and theater collective Critical Art Ensemble. Over the past decade cultural institutions worldwide have commissioned and hosted Critical Art Ensemble's participatory theater projects that help the general public understand biotechnology and the many issues surrounding it. In May 2004 the Kurtzes were preparing a project examining genetically modified agriculture for the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, when Hope Kurtz died of heart failure. Detectives who responded to Professor Kurtz's 911 call deemed the couple's art suspicious, and called the FBI. Within hours the artist was illegally detained as a suspected "bioterrorist" as dozens of federal agents in Hazmat suits sifted through his work and impounded his computers, manuscripts, books, his cat, and even his wife's body.

For more information about the case, including extensive documentation, please visit CAE Defense Fund
News Story
Yahoo Group
Critical Art Ensemble

Strange Culture: DEC 11 it will air on Sundance Channel, then it will go to DVD sales.

More tripped out goodies from artist, Larry Carlson.

NORTH VALE - Interactive pictures - Take a trip to the strange and spooky land of North Vale. (2007). Enjoy your visit and be sure to click around the pictures to uncover hidden worlds.

This collection of six new interactive pictures was created by taking photos of the Vermont landscape and other subjects which were processed and animated digitally. The pictures also feature an original soundtrack by Larry Carlson.

And Z.Q. - is an art book that features a collection of surreal back and white images. (2007)



Visit his MySpace site for more interactive fun.

Lucky for us this versatile visionary stays busy making his art and showing his art.

From the INBOX

GreyLodge Podcasting Company is pleased to announce our new alliance with the incredible avant-garde resource UbuWeb.

2nd Amazonian Shamanism Conference in Peru in June. A gathering of scientists and healers. Link

The Madness of George W. Bush: A Reflection of our Collective Psychosis by Paul Levy is now available for purchase online. Link

Ovi Magazine - 'Promises' is the theme of Ovi 14 and has all the usual cartoons, illustrations, poems, fiction and radio shows, along with a few extra Ovi peculiarities.

Alternative Press Review - Your Guide Beyond the Mainstream - www.altpr.org. In my opinion the absolute best snapshot into the daily news.

Tons of good links in the Gaia Media Newsletter.

* The Church of Reality is a religion based on the practice of Realism, believing in everything that is real. Their motto is, "If it's real, we believe in it."

* Adventurer and writer Kira Salak reports about her ayuahuasca experiences for National Geographic. Read her story and see a short video clip.

* Starhawk and Donna Read, the makers of the film Signs of the Times, about the life and work of Marija Gimbutas, have organized a series of Goddess Salons.

* The German group LightRiders are working hard on a 2 to 3 hour DVD project "The Spirit of Basel", featuring the Saturday night concert with "Akasha Project", "Stars Sounds Orchestra", and "Guru Guru", including short excerpts from the major spoken presentations. Have a first glimpse with their Teaser.

* The Vernal Equinox 2006 issue of The Entheogen Review contains "Reflections on Basel" by Jon Hanna and João Serro, but also an article entitled "Halperngate" by Jon Hanna.

* Surrealartforum is the largest Surreal, Fantastic, Psychedelic & Visionary Artist Links Gallery on the Internet. An incredible collection.

And more...

New Larry Carlson Site

SKYHASEYES - Your daily dose of surreal energy!

This new blog is a growing collection of psychedelic artist Larry Carlson's multimedia art (flash movies, video, soundtracks, web art, digital and mixed media artworks). New work will be featured here, as well as old work from his archives.

Link

Bukowski: Born Into This is just out on DVD. This is the definitive documentary about Charles Bukowski and features tons of footage of the late poet doing what he does best: reading, writing, drinking, fighting and talking about women. The extras alone can entertain you for hours; they include commentary by director John Dullaghan, home movie footage, extended interviews and footage of Bono and Tom Waits reading Bukowski's poetry. If you like what you see, check out the site for Factotum, a new movie starring Matt Dillon as Bukowski's alter-ego, Henry Chinaski.

One lump or two? Is it a teakettle or a dildo? Link [via]

Los Angeles Alternative is an online weekly newspaper of people, arts and ideas that rivals LAWeekly.

Surreal & Visionary Artist of the 21st Century - They are ALL here and then some. Link

All We Are Saying is a documentary about the music business directed by Rosanna Arquette. The film features her interviews with Stevie Nicks, Chrissie Hynde, Joni Mitchell, Radiohead's Thom Yorke, Patti Smith, Yoko Ono, Andre 3000, Elton John and a billion other musicians about how they balance their lives with their art. You can catch it on Showtime this month, where it's also available on demand.

OutThereRadio - topics related to the occult, government conspiracy and the paranormal.

Freezerbox - Online magazine with a wide range of topics, from arms control to political, economy to film.

Overheard: "Why do they keep remaking bad movies? You know the one that sucked but it had the beaver shot? Let's make another one where it looks like Sharon Stone's got ZZ Top in a scissor hold."

Surrealism Paintings by Alexander Lyamkin at the Art Hit website.

About Terry Gilliams's Tideland, Jennifer Tilly says, "Jeff Bridges is a burned-out rock musician addicted to heroin, and I'm an ex-groupie addicted to methadone - and we have this little neglected and abused girl who is living in a fantasy land."

"This movie is very surreal. Terry describes it as a cross between Alice In Wonderland and Psycho. Tideland is done, says Gilliam. Just tell me when to show up at the theater.

The Mars Volta to curate next ATP (All Tomorrows Parties). Bands so far confirmed to play alongside The Mars Volta include The Kills, Diamanda Galas, Cinematic Orchestra, Blonde Redhead, Jaga Jazzist, Weird War, and more. What makes ATP events so fun is that they have chalets available for weekend rental with the shows.

The Ayahuasca-Alien Connection. Excerpts from:
Ayahuasca Visions: The Religious Iconography of a Peruvian Shaman

Advance Tom Robbins book, Wild Ducks Flying Backqards already sold on eBay. (Thanks, Madison)

More banned cover art from Freeway Jam. Comprehensive listings in Taboo Tunes. For being against the war, (Dead Kennedys, Barry McGuire) having a misplaced appendage, visual pubes (Black Crowes cover), teeny boobs flashing (Blind Faith), and more.

Weirdness Quotient: Country Porn - NSFW and Ice Cream Truck songs from WFMU.

Sundance Film Festival - January 20 - 30, 2005
Just a few of the films I'd like to see next year.

Strangers With Candy / Director: Paul Dinello; Screenwriters: Stephen Colbert (From The Daily Show), Paul Dinello, and Amy Sedaris. Absolultely LOVED the television series which was cancelled after three years, and can't wait for the movie. more »

This Revolution - Director: Stephen Marshall is a topical story about Iraq and the relationships involving protesters, soldiers, photogs, and more. Synopsis and video can be found on GNN.

What Is It? / Director & Writer: Crispin Hellion Glover. What Is It? is a bewildering, unnerving, surreal, blackly comic film from the visionary mind of Crispin Glover that tells the inner and outer struggles of a young man facing villains and demons on multiple planes. Fairuza Balk does a voice in the film.

Reefer Madness (The Musical) / Director: Andy Fickman; Screenwriter: Dan Studney and Kevin Murphy. (A remake of the classic which has been a recent play and was released on DVD this year). We all know the story by now of how someone ends up at the house of evil, takes a hit from a funny cigarette and freaks out.
more »

America's Biggest Dick - Dramatic Shorts Category, Director: Bryan Boyce. Unable to find any info on this one, but if it's about somebody named Richard, I'm going to be ill.

Sundance Festival

1967 -- First issue of rock oriented magazine "Rolling Stone", which includes a free "roach clip," is published in San Francisco. Published by Jann Wenner, with John Lennon on the cover.

Media|Film
Chaotic Cinema - Surreal and Cult Films has a subjective top ten and a list of 100 favorites films. Great site for you film buffs. (via: ollapodrida)


Local|News
Asheville's first liberal talk radio program, WPEK, is coming in January 2005. The first program goes on the air LIVE Saturday, January 8, from 10 AM-Noon with first guest, Deepak Chopra, and on January 15 is Steven Halpern.

And new music site, Asheville Music, features local musicians, venues, dates, and more.

Pleez excuze my ttyping. I'm reloading.

Diebold Executive Holds Political Fundraiser. And it ain't for John Kerry. Executives at Diebold say that company officials will not be allowed to take part in any politics, except voting, NewsChannel5 reported. This comes after the Diebold Inc. chairman held a Republican fundraiser at his home. The company's subsidiary makes voting machines. Diebold is so bold and brazen and not afraid to show their allegiance. Link via Maru who I've been able to read daily now that I see there's a newsfeed (RSS or XML) to the site.

Anybody been to Bonnaroo before? I didn't realize what a great lineup they had until I looked at the site. Wilco, Patti Smith, Ani DiFranco and Dylan all play right after each other on Friday. Hell, there's your price of admission right there and you still have 2 more days of music.

Hometown (Asheville, NC) guitar hero and family friend, Warren Haynes, has got to be the busiest guy in the music biz. Being in three bands at the same time must be surreal. The Dead, Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule, and also Phil Lesh and Friends. He's appearing at Bonnaroo next week along with many others. Everyguitarist: Warren Haynes's Jam-Packed Life is the current NYT interview.

Image Generator - Going to go check this out now. via Presurfer.

May 24,1941- Bob Dylan's 63rd Birthday. Someone's even gone to the trouble of making a 'How To Celebrate Bob Dylan's Birthday' site. ~May you stay forever young.
Link.

Cartoonist Garry B. Trudeau will publish the names of more than 700 U.S. military personnel killed during the war in Iraq as part of his Doonesbury comic next Sunday, on Memorial Day weekend.
Link

Election 2004 - Storming the Polls: How to Vote Your Views and Change the Rules. Youth in Pursuit of the Dirty Truth. Multicultural Youth Vote news. (Site is a project of Alternet ) Link

Crossing the Bridge for Marriage Equality - held a Say "I Do" celebration yesterday. via ~ Margaret Cho Also see her Marriage Equality Resource Site - Link

Update on Philip K. Dick's surreal SF novel A Scanner Darkly.

Let's go kick Monday's ass. You with me?