Occupying possibilities in Oakland

[wiggs]

cross posted from GD:

Oakland looks different today. The first of many large protester portraits were mounted over the weekend on buildings downtown as part of an informal/guerilla urban exhibition that will use the entire City as a canvas (InsideOut/OccupyOakland). Ten images were placed on a wall above a car lot and two 25' images were placed on the roof. Dozens more will be placed on walls, roofs, smokestacks, windows, garage doors, and in alleys in coming weeks. In a powerful way, this effort helps dispel MSM myths about who Occupy is and why they are speaking up.

Those who have camped, walked, marched, and sacrificed have inspired this response by this young group. It is an important example of how Occupy can grow, change, evolve, gain strength, and inspire others. The world has its eyes on Oakland and other Occupy sites and this deserves high visibility and support from those interested in the message and in diverse, effective expression. It deserves DU support and help...please visit the sites and: comment, spread links, 'like' the facebook page, view the videos and portrait statements, go view the portraits if you're local, and if you can support the project through kickstarter. More portraits will go up and the project will become larger only if there is funding. Help make it happen!

Check it out at http://insideoutoccupyoakland.wordpress.com/ (click on

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Inside-Out-Occupy-Oakland-Group-Action/266702620063373

Lots of images and updates at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/insideoutoccupy/inside-out-occupy-oakland

View the initial video:

View portraits with touching protester statements as displayed at gallery opening Saturday night:

Photos from wknd (links work...don't know why they don't show here):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/insideout_occupy/6788071718/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/insideout_occupy/6933865905/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/insideout_occupy/6934186649/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/insideout_occupy/6787753754/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/insideout_occupy/6894306329/

[starroute]

1. The links you gave were each to the page with the photo, not to the photo itself

You have to click on "Actions" above the photo, then on "View All Sizes." Then click on the size you want to post -- which would probably be Medium. Then right-click and chose "Copy Image Location." Then paste that into the post.

Here's the first of those photos, for example.

[Leopolds Ghost]

2. This is

[font color="white"]...[/font]

[wiggs]

3. I'm told that the facebook hits are coming fast, with comments, likes, and links

so far:

from more than 20 countries (USA, France, Thailand, and Canada the top four countries)

After Oakland and before Berkeley, Bangkok was the town with the most hits on the facebook page

from places speaking more than 20 languages (English, French, Spanish, German being the most)

The project has a lot of interest...needs more support, then the idea can really take off.

[sabrina 1]

4. That's wonderful. Thank you so much for posting this.

I am not on FB, but will tweet this OP.

[sabrina 1]

5. More on the project:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/insideoutoccupy/inside-out-occupy-oakland

Let’s use art to turn Occupy inside out: An urban exhibition of black and white portraits.

The world has its eyes on Oakland as the Occupy movement dramatically unfolds. Thousands of people with different backgrounds and ambitions are gathering to demand change. Their diversity and their stories are the strength of Occupy.

INSIDE OUT

Inside Out is a global art project that uses large scale portraits to transform messages of identity into powerful urban exhibitions.The Inside Out Project is a creation of the artist JR, recipient of the 2011 TED Prize (watch JR’s TED talk). You can visit the Inside Out website to see stunning examples of some of the projects that are popping up in over 9,000 locations all over the globe.

PLANS

We have already taken the portraits, but there is a lot of work left to be done in order to bring these images to the streets. We will be pasting photographs all over Oakland with the permission of building owners. Standard portraits measure 3’x5’ and our large portraits sometimes cover entire buildings. Think of the entire city of Oakland as our canvas: Brick walls, metal garage doors, fences, rooftops, smokestacks, alleyways, windows, and any other creative locations are in play.

[wiggs]

6. Thanks! Thought I was posting links correctly from flickr but I guess not.

Good project...important for Oakland, healing and re-inspiring at the same time. Two more 25' tall portraits go up today. Hope the rest of them can go up after that. I understand some other occupy sites have inquired about similar effort.

Thanks for keeping kicked and injected with new pics. The flickr page keeps getting new and interesting photos.

It's not getting much widespread DU love though.

[sabrina 1]

8. No problem, the first time you posted info on this, I thought it was a great idea.

I wondered how they were going to do it though, considering the anti-OWS attitude of the Oakland PD. But I read that they owners of the buildings have given them permission so not much the OPD can do about this. And it shows that there is a lot of support among business and building owners for them contrary to the propaganda which we get from the supporters of the 1%.

[wiggs]

9. Yep. Are you active with your local Occupy group? Can you share the links

and info with them? Thanks....

[sabrina 1]

10. I am too far from a group right now, but I do email everything that is of interest

like this, to my email list. So I am going to do that tonight, just got some emails about other activities from my list. So I will return them. I also tweet information like this, which I have done. One of my email friends is very into Art herself, as well as OWS, and probably has a separate list of Artists she can forward it to.

[wiggs]

7. Just mentioned it on Thom Hartmann! Need more visibility!!! nt

[sabrina 1]

11. Maybe KO should be contacted? He's done some great coverage of OWS.

Don't know the best way to get to him, but he is on Twitter, maybe if enough people tweeted him a link, he would be interested? Rachel also, who is also on Twitter.

[wiggs]

12. I emailed Rachel. Good call on KO. I'll look for contact info. Thanks! nt

[Magoo48]

13. Thanks to the artists; you inspirer so many of us....

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14. East Bay locals should

check out Art Murmur tomorrow in Oakland

Some of the InsideOut/Occupy Oakland portraits are up in the venue area

http://oaklandartmurmur.org/

the team was installing late into the night and during rain this week. Good stuff.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/insideout_occupy/693386590... /

[wiggs]

15. Found new video at Daily Californian:

http://www.dailycal.org/2012/02/29/video-inside-out-occupy-oakland-art-project/