ACOMSDave

Community Journalist

Archives for April 2023

Queen’s University, Naughton Gallery Sports Exhibition – Fix Your Pony

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This is the Naughton Gallery’s fifth sports exhibition series, celebrating ‘art and sport’ coming together and delving into the areas of diversity and inclusion.

Fix Your PonyFix Your Pony is an interesting exhibition in its scope, width and range of contemporary artists:

  • Rachelle Baker
  • Laura Callaghan
  • Nial Cullen
  • Emile-Samory Fofana
  • Justin French
  • M. S. Harkness
  • Jaime Hernandez
  • A Klass
  • Dougal McKenzie
  • Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi
  • Nana Yaw Oduro
  • Bram Paulussen
  • Sars Perovic 

and the artists in various degrees tackle

  • race
  • gender
  • politics
  • sexuality

but they also go beyond this to look at areas such as

  • basketball
  • skateboarding
  • gymnastics
  • tennis
  • lucha libre (Mexican wrestling)

and not least bull racing in Bali!  Fix Your Pony makes you think because the answers are not always obvious.   Oscar Wilde said, 

“If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing well. If it is worth having, it is worth waiting for.

If it is worth attaining, it is worth fighting for. If it is worth experiencing, it is worth putting aside time for.”

 

If you have not been to Queens University for a visit, and also the Naughton Gallery, it is very easy to discover – a simple 22 min stroll for Belfast City Centre.

 

All the artists have their own story, but I’ve delved back in time to two who I remember:

  • Hello Mr - Fix Your PonyRyan Fitzbiggon and his “Hello Mr” (01/06-30/07/2017) showed the diversity of gay culture …it is a community of “men who date men”, starting new conversations about their interests, loves, hopes and fears…

and

  • Brock Williams and Chris Lin - Fix Your PonyBrock William and Chris Lin and their “Yummertime” (18/10-12/12/2018) … s San Francisco-based lifestyle and photography blog co-founded..

Please do go and find this small, wonderful gallery, and view the current showing but remember, the story is always changing at the Naughton as do the exhibitions.

 

 

 

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Judgement at Nuremberg Trials

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Judgement at Nuremberg TrialsYesterday I watched the Judgement of the Nuremberg Trials again.  I was set on this because I have just started the book ‘East West Street‘ by Philippe Sands. Judgement at Nuremberg TrialsIn this book, Phillipe begins a journey on the trail of his family’s secret history, which through many convoluted routes leads him to the origins of international law at the Nuremberg trial.

I am lucky, I live in a country which allows me the freedom to watch and read, in general, anything; this means I have ‘freedom’, but to so many of those who ended up on trial and then camps, or just placed in camps, they were not so lucky.  

…Beginning on May 10, 1933, Nazi-dominated student groups carried out public burnings of books they claimed were “un-German.” The book burnings took place in 34 university towns and cities. Works of prominent Jewish, liberal, and leftist writers ended up in the bonfires. The book burnings stood as a powerful symbol of Nazi intolerance and censorship…

USA…‘We’re seeing a relaunch of an old story’: Exploring the movement to ban books with LGBTQ characters in the USA…

The book banning boom continues.

Already, the number of attempts this year to censor books in K-12 schools, universities and public libraries is on track to eclipse 2021’s record count, the American Library Association said on Friday. The ALA cataloged 681 attempts between January 1 and August 31; the 2021 tally was 729…

…Hungary restricts sales of LGBT-themed children’s books…

 

So many parts of the world seek to restrict intellectual freedom and access to information.  There are attempts to put restrictions on the internet, for message services to not use end-to-end encryption ‘to protect the people, society and the country.

The American Library Association states:-

 

…Intellectual freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored…

So this brings me back to the Nuremberg Trials, I am attaching a link  to the transcript of the Judgement Nuremberg Trials, and also a link to an excerpt of the movie with Spencer Tracy playing Chief Judge Dan Haywood.

judgement at Nuremberg Trial

Whilst the whole statement should be read to truly understand the trial, the first section entitled ‘The Seizure of Power and Subjugation of Germany to a Police State.’ brings me to look at the world in so many places, including the UK.  Which states currently seem to be applying what is outlined?  

Please think carefully before you sign up for things calling for your support, understand the whole picture, not just that outlined to you in the Call to Action.

 

 

 

 

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