JULY 2004
Come and give your support, Friday July 9.
SUPPORT FREE SPEECH AND FREEDOM OF KNOWLEDGE
Critical Art Ensemble (CAE) is a collective of internationally recognized artists who work in public, educational, academic and art contexts. For the past few years, their principal aim has been to help
the general public to understand biotechnology. By making scientific research accessible to laypeople through participatory performance experiences, CAE aims to demystify what is safe and clarify what is dangerous about today's biotech industry.
CAE always undertake their work in a safe and considered way. The materials they use are strictly non-hazardous, can be legally obtained by anyone, and are commonly found in undergraduate-level biology labs. For more on CAE's projects and the biological agents and equipment they work with, please visit http://www.caedefensefund.org/.
A federal grand jury will convene on June 15 in Buffalo, New York, to consider bioterrorism charges brought by the Joint Terrorism Task Force against CAE member and University at Buffalo professor Steve Kurtz. The grand jury is the latest installment in a bizarre investigation in which members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force seem to have mistaken CAE's latest art project for a biological weapons laboratory.
According to the subpoenas served to at least seven artists, the charges fall under Section 175 of the US Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989, which has been expanded by the USA PATRIOT Act to prohibit the possession of "any biological agent, toxin, or delivery system" without the justification of "prophylactic, protective, bona fide research, or other peaceful purpose"
(http://caedefensefund.org/faq.html#law). Those served with subpoenas include two founding members of CAE (Steven Barnes, Dorian Burr, Beverly Schlee), two artists who have collaborated with CAE (Beatriz da Costa, Paul Vanouse), and at least two other artists.
Many worry that the case could set a dangerous precedent by silencing a group of artists for work that stimulates vital public discussion. Many feel that with this case and others, the government is wildly overreaching its mandate to protect the public from terrorism.
"Groups like CAE stimulate the public debate that is necessary to a healthy democracy," said Claire Pentecost, an artist who has collaborated with CAE in the past. "This isn't a case of one artist
fighting for the freedom to express him or herself with images or speech that some of the public might find offensive. This is a case of a group of artists using performance to educate the public on issues that affect all of us in our daily lives. The government's actions suggest a criminalization of a citizen's right to acquire knowledge by completely legal means. This goes to the very heart of democracy."
A number of other recent cases suggest that that the PATRIOT Act and other recent "security" measures have made freedom of speech increasingly fragile in the U.S. A list of such cases will be
available shortly at http://www.caedefensefund.org/
Urgent benefit to raise funds for the LEGAL DEFENCE of artist and academic Steve Kurtz and members of the CRITICAL ART ENSEMBLE, currently appearing before a grand jury and likely to be indicted on June 29 2004 on trumped-up charges of bioterrorism.
Barry Schwabsky (art critic, co-editor international reviews, Artforum), Warren Neidich (NY artist, visiting artist Goldsmiths College) and Anjalika Sagar (UK artist), with the Arts Catalyst and ArtsAdmin invite you to join
us in an unmissable gathering of artists, academics and concerned individuals to help raise the legal costs of Steve Kurtz of Critical Art Ensemble.
When: Friday July 9th, 2004, from 19.00 onwards
Where: The Courtroom, Toynbee Studios, 28 Commercial Street, London E1 6LS
Near Brick Lane and the Whitechapel Art Gallery (Aldgate East tube)
How much? Free, but bring your chequebook. We are suggesting a donation of at least 24 pounds sterling.
What's happening?: Drinks, food donated by *Story organic deli, celebrity speakers to be announced, music, performance, exclusive footage of Steve Kurtz speaking at London's Natural History Museum and many other entertainments. If you are interested in art and the freedom of knowledge this is the time to lend your support.
For numbers, please let us know if you are planning to come:
020 7375 3690 or info@artscatalyst.org.
We can accept cash or cheques only, no cards (payable to The Arts Catalyst), either on the door or to The Arts Catalyst at the above address. If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation, please do so either
direct to the defence fund - www.caedefensefund.org - or by sending a cheque to Arts Catalyst. The Arts Catalyst is a charitable arts organisation (charity number: 1042433). Money donated will be transferred directly to the CAE Defense fund.
Why is money urgently needed?
Everyone deserves a fair trial and proper legal counsel. American legal fees are exorbitant and are already mounting up during the grand jury. Being indicted on or by June 29 could financially ruin Steve Kurtz for life. This is part of an international campaign to raise funds for his defence costs.