Video: Banksy Does Gaza

Earlier today, Banksy shared some photos and a video of what he’s currently getting up to. Apparently the artist is in Gaza at the moment as seen in the aforementioned clip titled "Make this the year YOU discover a new destination." The video is a tongue and cheek nod to the tourism industry via travel commercial and sees Banksy entering an “illegal tunnel” and emerging in Gaza.  Several new pieces are put up among the urban decay including the one above which is a play on Niobe, the Greek goddess that was punished for pride in her children. The project seems to be a commentary on Israel’s Operation Protective Edge and the subsequent hardships suffered by Palestinians, check it out below…

Video: Europa Europa and The Knife – “För alla namn vi inte får använda”

The Knife have teamed up with political art group Ful for an audio visual experience titled Europa Europa. The project was written and directed by Nasim Aghili and focuses on Sweden and the EU’s migration politics.

In celebration of the forthcoming July 1st opening the duo has shared the Roxy Farhat directed video for one of the songs featured in the cabaret, titled "För Alla Namn Vi Inte Får Använda".

According to the video description on Youtube, the song is intended to "praise all those hundreds of thousands of people who defy the cameras, the deadly waters, the barbed wire, the violence and the compact political resistance, and make it across the external and internal borders of Europe every year." 

Video: “The Cuban Skateboard Crisis”

What we got here is an older yet still fantastic documentary on Cuba’s struggling and often challenging skateboard scene.

While most skaters don’t have to deal with these kinds of absurd set backs, Cubans must pursue their passion under strict embargos that make even obtaining a board a challenge.  In the 16-minute film you hear downright heartbreaking stories of skaters sometimes waiting up to five months to get a new deck, often resulting in makeshift repairs of damaged gear to make due. While competitions in Cuba don’t offer the dream of a pro-sponsorship or world wide travel (something that is pretty much unobtainable in their situation) the promises of a new deck alone is motivation enough, and pretty much their only legitimate source of obtaining one. Yet despite the major handicap the local scene has produced some talent and Cuba’s skaters remain optimistic and a happy people making the best of what they have been given, inspiring stuff to say the least. Check out the by Phil Brown directed piece below and If you would like to help the Cuban skaters, there’s a shop in Germany who has set up a fund called Subvertcubaproject.org.

Video: “The Cuban Skateboard Crisis”

The Pussy Riot Russian Doll

Someone should produce and sell these with a portion of donations going towards the legal fees of the band.

Al-Qaida Marketing Campaign

Al-Qaida has apparently gone and got its self a marketing department as the organization released a warning that they will soon be returning to New York City (in broken English) via a flashy web based graphic. This is probably one of the strangest things I have ever seen, we really do live in a different world when terrorist organizations have a glossy campaign behind them! The graphic in question could easily find its self on billboards and in magazine across the world in-between known branding from the likes of Apple or The Gap without one even taking any notice.

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said the graphic appeared on a site that has hosted al-Qaida material before and is what the NYPD Intelligence Division refers to as a "Category 1" website, meaning it is heavily used by jihadi and al-Qaida adherents.

He added that the NYPD is working to determine what individual or group posted the threat on the website; it is now being spread across numerous extremist forums.

Browne said the graphic appears to have been created with Cinema 4 software, which typically costs about $1,600.

Video: "Art As A Weapon" Documentary Preview

Keeping in the theme of art related videos comes Art As A Weapon, directed by Jeff Durkin.

“Art As A Weapon” will look at the connection between Street Art, Buddhism and the struggle for Democracy by using the closed country of Burma as a case study. The film will follow a Buddhist monk who’s building a library, artist Shepard Fairey painting a 30′ tall mural, and a elementary school art class learning how to use spray paint- giving the audience a peek into the lives of artists and how art has the power to move and motivate people.

The film will look at the collision between the big forces that shape humanity- Art, Politics, and religion in both the eastern and western worlds. By combining cinematography, with Buddhist philosophy the project will illustrate the power Art has in the fight for Democracy. Part art film, part political film, the goal is to continue spreading the word by using art as a weapon for peace in Burma.

You can donate over at Kickstarter to help bring the project to life!

Art as a Weapon Documentary // Beginnings from BREADTRUCK TV on Vimeo.

Video: Teenage Riot: Athens Part 3 of 3

On the final part of Vice’s look into Greece’s political turmoil we see the Greek parliament meets to vote on proposed austerity measures while outside their society polarizes itself. All pretences of togetherness vanish as the lines between authority figures and protesters are blurred, leading to street battles and, ultimately, one man's death.  

View Part 1
View Part 2

Video: Teenage Riot: Athens Part 2 of 3

A couple days ago we shared with you the first part in three of the excellent video documentary presented by Vice on the current financial crisis happening in Athens Greece at the moment. Today we bring you part two which focuses on the first day of the 48-hour hunger strike. A crowd of hundreds of thousands makes its way to parliament to protest the proposed austerity measures. We hear about the tactics used by the anarchists and police before seeing it for ourselves. Tear gas, flash grenades, and rocks fly as the city unites in angry disenchantment and attempts to storm parliament.