As world leaders prepare for their G8 summit photo op, a new network of art activists are touring the UK(19 May – 6 July), inspiring resistance with an exploding caravan, a free feast, prayers to products, a clown army and creative civil disobedience trainings.
The Laboratory of Insurrectionary Imagination (Lab of ii) is a space for international and local artists and activists to experiment with new forms of cultural resistance, exploring the interstices between art, politics, creativity and protest. Part of the global movement for social and ecological justice, the Lab of ii believes in moving beyond traditional methods of protest (marches, riots and placards) to forms which emphasise pleasure, love and the subversive nature of play.
Amongst its assorted ranks for the tour will be the Church of the Immaculate Consumption, whose prayers to products are an ironic extension of the logic of shopping as a religious act, and the Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army (CIRCA), who merge civil disobedience and the ancient art of clowning to mock the powerful and their very big tools.
In each of the 9 cities visited, this motley troupe will tumble out of an exploding solar powered caravan-cum-mobile information unit to present a fabulous, death defying free show featuring Dr Skip Tallahassee, artist activist the Vacuum Cleaner, a human cannon ball and CIRCA’s ridiculous recruitment drive… before serving an unusual feast to the audience.
As well as the show, there will be intensive two-day trainings in non-violent direct action and rebel clowning. "We will train you to be stupid," says General Confusion from CIRCA "polish up your ability to mock authority, help you discover your inner clown and let you taste our favourite tactical manoeuvres of ‘Fishing’ and ‘Socking’."
"The Lab of ii is a subversive cocktail of popular culture and radical politics and that’s the way we like it" says co-founder Lisa Blisset.
An All-Star collaboration of twisters, resisters, subverters, converters, cyclers, recyclers, street reclaimers, anarchists, artists, fartists, permaculturists and mystics, the Laboratory of Insurrectionary Imagination will inspire you to rediscover the power of your imagination and join the resistance against the dictatorship of money.
"Ouch!" is all the human cannon ball will have to say.
To accompany the tour the DVD "13 experiments in Hope" has been produced by the Lab of ii
Websites for further information
Laboratory of Insurrectionary Imagination www.labofii.net/tour05
Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army www.clownarmy.org
Art activist The Vacuum Cleaner www.thevacuumcleaner.co.uk
High resolution photographs available from May 6th on www.labofii.net/tour05/pressphotos
Tour schedule
Bristol - May 20th - 22nd, with South Bank Arts and Performance Trail.
Show: Saturday 21st - 8pm - Tobacco Factory car park, Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol
London - May 27th - 29th with Queen Mary - University of London.
Show: Saturday 28th - 8pm - next to the Arts Pavilion, Mile End Park, Grove Road, London E2 (Entrance off Clinton Road, near Mile End Tube Station)
Birmingham - June 3rd -5th with Fierce Festival (tel: 0121 244 8084), The Real Monument Company and A2RT (Access 2 Recycled Technologies)
Show: Friday 3rd – 8pm – Birmingham City Centre
Sheffield - June 10th -12th with Peace in the Park Festival
Show: 8pm – Sheffield General Cemetery, Cemetery Avenue, Sheffield
Manchester - June 13th -14th with Northern Arts Tactical Offensive (N.A.T.O)
Show: Venue to be confirmed
Newcastle - June 17th -19th with Why Don't You Collective
Show: Venue to be confirmed
Aberdeen - June 21st - 22nd with Peacock Visual Arts
Show: Tuesday 21st - 8pm - Castlegate, Aberdeen, AB24
Glasgow - June 24th - 26th with Ya Basta
Show: Venue to be confirmed
Edinburgh - June 28th - July 5th with Reshape Edinburgh
Show: Venue to be confirmed
For trainings, book a place on
trainings@labofii.net (places are limited). Contacts: Isa (media liaison) 07984 158 108
isa@labofii.net / lab phone 07910 082 234 
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