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May 13th - 19th, 2013
"So long as the system of competition in the production and exchange of the means of life goes on, the degradation of the arts will go on; and if that system is to last for ever, then art is doomed, and will surely die; that is to say, civilization will die." -- William Morris
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I See No Changes: Hip-Hop And Assata
ISSUES ~ Former Black Panther Assata Shakur is now the first woman to be added to the FBI's list of most wanted terrorists. As Alexander Billet writes, her high place in hip-hop reflects what scares the feds so very much.
The Success And Failure Of Gutai
HISTORY ~ The Gutai collective in post-war Japan are a case study in the ebbs and flows of the establishment's sway over artistic expression and innovation. Ben Davis gives us a brief overview of them.
An Edict For Solicitous Existence
POETRY ~ Rich people are boorish, stupid and unworthy of their riches. So why are they in charge? Noah Samuel Brown doesn't like it, and has penned this visceral little number to bourgeois ineptitude.
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ALL Power To The Imagination
IMAGERY ~ The "événements" of May 1968 in Paris created what may be some of the most recognizable revolutionary art of the 20th century. Here, we've collected some of our favorite examples.
More Than Just Gore?
REVIEW ~ Hollywood has given us yet another unnecessary remake of a horror classic. But according to John McDonald, there's a lot more to criticize in the newer, slicker version of Evil Dead.
The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill
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Why De Gouges Matters
HISTORY ~ More people need to know about Olympe De Gouges. A much undersung figure in the French Revolution, she was a woman who lived her beliefs in art and equality. Ashely Bohrer introduces us to her.
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Saying A Final Good-Bye
REVIEW ~ Jim Moody reviews the latest film from Chilean writer and director Dominga Sotomayor Thursday till Sunday, a portrait of a family's tensions and disintegration from the point of view of the children.
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And Hell followed With Him
COMMENT ~ Last week, Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman died. Alexander Billet looks at how Hanneman's music upset the status quo both in heavy metal and in the halls of Congress.
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The Dialectics Of Percy Shelley
ANALYSIS ~ In his own time, Percy Bysshe Shelley was frequently criticized for his use of complex imagery. Today, it's looked at as a staple of poetry. Andrew Bennett examines the mistakes of his critics.
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EXit Interview
POETRY ~ The realities of being part of today's workforce can often strip individuals of their humanity. Renee Collins has penned this poem as a tribute to that of one forgotten office worker.
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Art Vs. Borders
EDITORIAL ~ The drums of xenophobia are beating once again, with the usual suspects demanding closed borders in the wake of the Boston bombings. That would be culturally disastrous.
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Fighting For A Living At Guitar Center
ISSUES ~ Workers at Guitar Center's flagship New York City store are fighting for a union. This is the latest in a recent slew of struggles for cultural workers to earn a decent living. Alexander Billet reports.
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Rekindle The Spirit
REVIEW ~ Award-winning radical filmmaker Ken Loach's new documentary has reignited discussions about what a united British left might have to demand. Nick Wrack reviews the film.
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Unrealized And Beautiful
IMAGERY ~ International Workers Day has given us lots of dynamic visual art. The collection here may be just a taste, but it's a rather profound one. Such is the creativity that can be unleashed when we feel our power.
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The Worker's Maypole
POETRY ~ This poem, by English socialist and artist Walter Crane, is one of the first written in tribute to workers holiday, which was then still in its infancy. There's no denying that it still holds much of its power today.
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HOllywood, Boston, And Imperial Bigotry
STATEMENT ~ The horrific events of the past week in Boston have once again reminded us of the role that anti-Muslim bigotry plays in bolstering America's "war on terror," including in our films, our television shows and our culture.
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Jackie Robinson's Bitter Pill
REVIEW ~ 42 is a chance to look at not just Jackie Robinson's best-known moments, but the larger struggles in his life and the fight to desegregate baseball. According to Dave Zirin, it fails in both these respects.
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Minutes To MIdnight
HISTORY ~ Sometimes it feels like culture and history just go in circles. Brit Schulte looks back at an important Cold War film and the threat of nuclear annihilation in light of the current saber-rattling against North Korea.
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Hope And Design
IMAGERY ~ Standing in a tradition of IWW artists going back to the union's foundation, Hope Aysa-Broughton's art and designs are created with the expressed intention of inciting and agitating.
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At Death's Door
POETRY ~ Former death row inmate and Black Panther Lawrence Ghana Hayes looks at the torturous feelings of fear, frustration, isolation and desperation that come from staring death down every day.
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Ecology And Art: A Marxist Perspective
EDITORIAL ~ Earth Week is upon us, and so is the need for a vastly more democratic and sustainable society. Here, we look at what art and human creativity tell us about this struggle.
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The Lost Woods Of Rachel Carson
ANALYSIS ~ The literary abilities of Rachel Carson are too often overlooked. Bob Simpson puts this forgotten side of her work front and center, and reminds us just how groundbreaking she was.
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Rhymes For Land And Rights
REVIEW ~ This past Invasion Day, a group of Aboriginal hip-hop artists released a mixtape dedicated to the Idle No More movement's struggle for land and self-determination. Alexander Billet reviews it.
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What Zombies Teach Us About Climate Change
COMMENT ~ Christopher Shaw looks at our culture's fascination with zombies and the frequent portrayal of society's flip attitude to epidemics. Says he, there's a foreboding parallel to our approach to climate change.
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A child said, What is the grass?
POETRY ~ Walt Whitman's poetry was known for -- among many things -- its simple yet moving portrayal of nature. Honestly, we couldn't think of a better piece to run during Earth Week!
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