Agit Disco VS The Zombie Apocalypse
"Marc Garrett reviews Agit Disco, on the power of being one's own DIY-DJ
for working class self-definition." McKenzie Wark
"You grooved me!" Stewart Home.
The subtle and not so subtle domination by market interests of cultural
production and dialogue denies us all access to a wide spectrum of
creative expression, especially those that engage in subjects that
conflict with the agendas of those in power. Agit Disco by Stefan
Szczelkun published by Mute in 2012, combats this contemporary trend by
focusing on music, politics, DIY culture, and freedom of expression. In
doing so he starts to redress the lack of representation across the
board for those in grass roots culture and working class lives, whose
freedoms to have a voice in society are so commonly restricted.
The knock on effect of an unquestioning culture of compliance with the
'free market' is enormous. How ironic it is that the term 'free market'
is attributed with so much value and (a presumed) logic when in
actuality it constrains people's freedoms and makes those who are
already rich even richer. Because the politicians are not effected by
the results personally, and because it also serves their interests, they
have handed over their social responsibilities to these market systems.
The neoliberal defaults that caused the financial crisis are untouched
by our democratic processes. These out of reach, distant power systems
are fixed towards property bias and occupy and govern our everyday
experiences. How does freedom of expression fit into this and on whose
terms?
http://www.furtherfield.org/features/reviews/agit-disco-vs-zombie-apocalypse
About Stefan Szczelkun.
He is an artist and author interested in culture and democracy. In the
early Seventies he was fortunate to be part of the Scratch Orchestra and
has since been involved with a series of artists collectives. His
doctoral research into the Exploding Cinema collective was completed at
the RCA in 2002. Recently his collaborative project Agit Disco was
published as a Mute book in 2012. He has been on the Mute magazine
editorial board since 2009, and currently working on photographic and
performance projects.
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