Be Afraid
Things to make you think
More things to make you think
Kids getting in on the action
From 1984 to 2004, The Return of the Ministry of Truth
On 28th Feb, people from Manchester Social Forum built a detention centre on Market St, Manchester to commemorate 20 years since 1984 and to get people thinking about the issues around CCTV, introduction of ID cards and Anti-terrorism legislation especially the up and coming Civil Contingencies bill.
Dressed in black, the men and women of the Ministry supported the structure in silence. There was nothing on the outside to tell people what was happening, just grey walls and a huge Big Brother eye. People walking past did not know what was going on until they came inside. The walls were hung with fabric paintings of quotes from Orwell and Statewatch on the Civil Contingencies Bill amongst others, with more detailed information in leaflets in pockets sewn into the structure.
The effect on passers-by was electric. People ended up queuing to get in! We ran out of leaflets within minutes so then a couple of us went into the structure to chat with people as the people from the Ministry were not allowed to speak. We had no hassle from the police (which was disappointing really, as we felt they would play an appropriate part in the drama!), and only one grump from a passing street warden.
The Ministry is street theatre with a serious political point. This is part of an on-going project. Next time the Ministry will be bigger, so that people don’t have to wait to come in, and we can get more information inside. We will be there for Blair and pals and plans are afoot for Mayday..
Also coming soon to a shopping centre near you!
On 28th Feb, people from Manchester Social Forum built a detention centre on Market St, Manchester to commemorate 20 years since 1984 and to get people thinking about the issues around CCTV, introduction of ID cards and Anti-terrorism legislation especially the up and coming Civil Contingencies bill.
Dressed in black, the men and women of the Ministry supported the structure in silence. There was nothing on the outside to tell people what was happening, just grey walls and a huge Big Brother eye. People walking past did not know what was going on until they came inside. The walls were hung with fabric paintings of quotes from Orwell and Statewatch on the Civil Contingencies Bill amongst others, with more detailed information in leaflets in pockets sewn into the structure.
The effect on passers-by was electric. People ended up queuing to get in! We ran out of leaflets within minutes so then a couple of us went into the structure to chat with people as the people from the Ministry were not allowed to speak. We had no hassle from the police (which was disappointing really, as we felt they would play an appropriate part in the drama!), and only one grump from a passing street warden.
The Ministry is street theatre with a serious political point. This is part of an on-going project. Next time the Ministry will be bigger, so that people don’t have to wait to come in, and we can get more information inside. We will be there for Blair and pals and plans are afoot for Mayday..
Also coming soon to a shopping centre near you!
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Comments
Hide the following 4 comments
how do i make the pictures smaller??
29.02.2004 14:38
heather who is clearly not a computer geek
smaller pics
29.02.2004 15:11
statto
it's quite simple
29.02.2004 15:26
here's the tip from your leeds neighbours: if you're using windows and want to resize an image, simply right-click on it and choose "open with" --> "paint" [simplest and lightest image editing programme coming with windows]
Once in paint, click "image" --> "stretch/skew" Both horizontal and vertical percentages are at 100%, I took yours down to 40% (both, always!) as the images were indeed large (great resolution by the way!)
hope it makes sense? if not, just let us know.
I'm now working on making your image titles re-appear :-)
antonis, not a computer geek either :)
thanx again muchly
29.02.2004 16:29
i'm buzzin now with the Ministry and i think it will grow..
after all, NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE TRUTH
and depending on whose truth, nothing often is.
heather