Presentation and workshop given by Jane Trowell, on 'The Body Politic, art, activism and social & ecological justice', a course for adults that Platform ran 2004-9; part of 'Student as Producer' Conference, 26/27.6.13, University of Lincoln http://studentasproducer.lincoln.ac.uk/events/student-as-producer-conference-2013/

1. The Body Politic
Social & Ecological Justice, Art, Activism
6 courses for adults, 2004 – 2009
with Birkbeck, University of London
www.platformlondon.org

2. What makes you want to act for justice?
Racism? Climate change? Poverty? the price of food?
Are you looking for new creative ways to make change happen?
Do you want to study how to work better together?

4. Must STAY AWAKE!
MUST MAKE ART THAT
SAVES THE WORLD

5. 'Oil City' immersive performance,
City of London, 2013
about
Platform...

6. 'Degrees of Capture', Exhibition, ICIA,
University of Bath, 2004
Report,
2011

7. 'Oil Road', 2012
Research supporting 'Liberate Tate'
art-activists, 2010

8. 'Battle Bus', Sokari Douglas Camp,
for Remember Saro-Wiwa, 2006
'Tate a Tate', alternative audio tour;
3 sound art commissions, 2012

9. Sai Murai & Aidan Jolly
'C Words: Carbon, Climate, Capital, Culture'
Exhibition and season of events, Arnolfini, Bristol, 2009
Become the Bike Bloc

10. “The educator, generally,
produces answers without
having been asked anything”
Paulo Freire, 1970:35

11. 'Shake' course, Feb 2013

12. “Equality is neither given nor claimed,
it is practiced, it is verified.”
Jacques Jacotot in Ranciere, 1991:xxii

13. “I came to theory because I was
hurting”
bell hooks (1994)

14. “theory as
liberatory practice”
bell hooks (1994)

15. “It’s not an ego trip, it’s serious,
it’s politics, it’s economics, it’s everything.
And art in that instance becomes
so meaningful both to the artist
and to the consumers of that art”
Nigerian writer and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa,
from TV interview 1994; executed 1995

16. The Body Politic
This course is designed for people who want to study how social justice, the environment,
arts and activism work together.
Whether you're concerned about local, national or global issues, we investigate how creative
approaches and collaborations combined with research can make your work more compelling,
politically effective and also sustainable.
This is also a chance to reflect on your own position and experience, think about where you
are, and how you want to proceed...

17. 1. Inner Ear: Introductions to Platform, and each other; political and artistic
“epiphanies”.
Listening to ourselves as a prerequisite for any act of creation;
learning to trust ourselves; under what circumstances do we
stop listening?

18. Hopes for the course...

19. 2. Outer Ear: what’s happening now in the world &
who are we listening to? Listening to places and communities,
invisibilities, “others”, “othering” and ourselves.
Egs. The writings of Arundhati Roy, Ziauddin Sardar, Paulo Freire.

20. 3. Workshop 1
Participants decide content and methods

21. 4a) Tongue: the use of silence and the use of speech;
articulation of language as political danger Egs. the documentary films
of Claude Lanzmann and Patricio Guzman; writings of Ken Saro-Wiwa and
Susan Griffin.
b) Workshop 1: participant-led session on issues or activity
identified from previous sessions.
Plus FEAST (evening)

22. 5a) Frontal Cortex and Solar Plexus: the limitations of using
facts alone to effect change; connecting information to experience,
and going beyond the rational. Egs. Platform’s project Gog & Magog,
Free Market Cafe (Beyond the Free Market).
b) Workshop 2: participant-led session on issues or activity identified from
previous sessions.

23. 6. Workshop 2
Participants decide content and methods

24. mid-course review...

25. 7. Heart and Sex: where is the drive to do this work?
What is ‘activism’ feeding off? Is there a blinding “ecstacy of protest”?
What role does sensuality, pain, love and dysfunction play when working on
difficult and distressing issues or in extreme situations?
Egs. Women in Black, clown army CIRCA and more.
Plus Mid-Course Review

26. 8. Benevolent Viruses: what can collaborative practices
bring to this work; cooperation and solidarity; how do we find each other? how
do we begin to work together? The importance of networks/good faith: Egs.
Climate Camp, MOSOP, Balata Camp (Palestine)

27. 9. Workshop 3
Participants decide content and methods

28. 10a) Eye: witness, bystander, perpetrator? Going and seeing/analysing
for yourself; the dangers of empathy; walking the issue. Egs writings of
Sven Lindqvist and Rebecca Solnit
b) Workshop 3 (1.30 - 4pm): participant-led session on issues or activity
identified from previous sessions, building towards whole day
workshop tomorrow

29. 11.Lungs: endurance and stamina; how can you keep focused, evolving
and working over time without burning out/becoming cynical;
resistance; reflective practice. Egs. writers bell hooks and John Berger, artist
Joseph Beuys

30. 12. Stomach: Digestion, reflection, actions. Summing up and
feeding back. What have we learnt? What might happen next?
And final FEAST.

31. writings, performances, actions,
and drawings...
evaluations...

32. “Progressive, holistic education, ‘engaged pedagogy’
is more demanding than conventional critical or
feminist pedagogy. For unlike these two teaching
practices, it emphasises well-being...

33. That means that teachers must be actively
committed to a process of self-actualisation that
promotes their own well-being if they are to teach
in a manner that empowers students.”
bell hooks, 1994:15

34. Paulo Freire on humility
Humility is not something we can speak about with an absence of humility.
I cannot make an arrogant speech to teach humility

the need to practice humility, needing courage and stamina

controlling vanity

acting without thinking that by acting I am the best

being wary of loving being loved

35. 
understanding oneself in the
process of being, with all the
abilities and all the faults

neither to deny or emphasise the
values we have

not to be afraid to be criticised

not to be full of yourself because
someone said you are interesting

resist compliments
(From 'Paulo Freire at the Institute', 1995)

36. Autonomous women-only
Body Politic, Nottingham, 2012

37. 2009 Body Politic
1. Inner Ear
2. Outer Ear
3. Workshop 1
4. Tongue
5. Frontal Cortex and Solar Plexus
6. Workshop 2
7. Heart and Sex
8. Benevolent Virus
9. Workshop 3
10. Eye
11. Lungs
12. Stomach
Other body parts in previous versions:
Legs
Feet
Hands and Fingers
Body parts have changed order but always starting with Inner Ear and Outer Ear