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HomeMental StrategiesThe Irrepressible Flame of Humanity

The Irrepressible Flame of Humanity

“It is the power of the mind to be unconquerable” -Seneca

The human spirit is an inextinguishable flame in even the strongest storm. In times of oppression and desperation, people rise up again and again to alter the course of history. One person can be the spark to ignite a nation or the world. It is this conflagration of human optimism and momentum that moves us forward against the tide of those who would hold us back. In every life there are moments when we must ask ourselves whether we, too will be part of the flame.

Dread Scott is no stranger to controversy. In the past his work has been declared “disgraceful” by a U.S. president and outlawed by congress. Of this work, initiated while he was an undergraduate and titled What is the Proper way to Display the U.S. Flag, he says, “suddenly the president knows I exist and he doesn’t like what I’m doing and I’m like, that’s pretty good.” Scott sheds light on the parts of our nation’s history that many would like to sterilize or forget altogether. His current project is his biggest yet, tentatively slated to take place in 2018. Scott is planning a 500 person slave rebellion to be reenacted in full costume and archived on film.

Dornith Doherty studies “the spaces and technological interventions surrounding seed banking.” She has been working on this as a Guggenheim fellow for nearly a decade. Her work treads the line between those working to preserve the biodiversity of plant life on earth and the precariousness of climate change and political instability. Her interest lies firmly in the stewardship of natural resources and her work has followed this theme.

Additional interviews include: Narmeen Nasser / The AJALA project.

Interviews are available on iTunes as podcasts, and for Android please click here. All weekly essay pieces in a sharable format are here. The full archive of interviews here.

Books to Read

What are you reading? Add your titles to our reading list here. Dornith Doherty’s work will soon be bound together in the upcoming Archiving Eden. User Marjorie Kaye lends high praise to The Wall of Storms by Ken Liu.

Opportunities / Open Calls

MIT Media Lab and The Noun Project are currently accepting submissions for the first Rewarding Disobedience Award. A prize of $250k will be awarded to a person or group who demonstrate responsible disobedience that challenges present norms. Deadline for nominations/submissions is May 1.

A Few Words to Keep in your Pocket

The power of hope and beauty are unsurpassed. Even in the darkest hour it is possible to seek out a bright and shining light. And what we cannot seek out, we must simply create.

Deadlines

Weekly Edited Grant and Residency Deadlines – review the list here.

More Resources – For Artists Only – (weekly articles)

Artists and the Pursuit of Freedom — read more here

Popular Writings –

London, UK Non-Profit Spaces – read about some of the best.

Los Angeles, CA Non-Profit Spaces- read about some of the best.

New York City Non-Profit Spaces – read about some of the best.

Self Illumination –

Conquering Fear – read about methods and Pema Chodron.

The Trap of Self-Esteem and How to Break Free- read more here.

F*ck the Art World, F*ck Consumerism! – read more here.

Finally –> feel free to forward or copy and paste this.

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