PLK - Join In

PLK Vision

The community PLK strives to provide a platform for activist artists, their critics, patrons and audience (and as occurs so often amongst the artistically inclined, individuals who strongly exercise several of these qualities). The PLK 'mission' is to foster dissemination of constructive social criticism through varying media, be it through the various visual arts, poetry and prose, comedy, music, dance and drama, sculpture and architecture as well as any other mediums artists find their inspiration to express what requires attention in our lives and more particularly, what kind of attention is demanded.

PLK Methods

The PLK community is and should ever remain in a state of renewal. We respect the concerns of the activist art community and encourage you to share any improvements you may envision.

For now we provide "space" for digitised art and critiques, in effect a portal for the activist art community to converge upon. We are working on introducing more interactive aspects, for instance a message board and mailing list, but for now any communication can still be presented on the website so feel free to write to us at the email address below and share your ideas and issues, upcoming events, queries or even a brief hello.

PLK Anethemas

We believe that the world should and can be steered, constructively guided by our love for our fellow creatures, in better directions than have been charted by and large to date. The PLK community aim to provide tools to assist people in their quest of turning away from what is less than worthy and turning towards something more suiting the potential within us All.

This demands particularly, from those who would participate, a prudent restraint from anything akin to applying further wrong to fix existing ones. Hatred for our fellow creature, wholly or severally by any degree, is not supported here and if you want to present your hate art then this site is not for you. Here instead is for those who have constructive contributions for the furtherment of the world and those we share it with, or at least good questions worthy of contemplation.

That activist art involves (amongst other things) pointing out what is wrong and in need of attention does not neccessarily imply a whinging approach of morbid doom and gloom; we subscribe to no such aggenda. Better by far to suggest ideas of what good can be done to improve life for All, and where this is not so easily achieved, to point out that attention is required is sufficient to the cause. Those who ply the trade of negativity for its own sake may as well be not possessed of that least knowledge we consider pivotal to improving the lot of All. While we will not neccessarily ignore such art, by the same token neither will we be dropping anything to pander to its like.

Good Stuff

It's not an entirely big bad world we live in either and there is plenty to celebrate and revel in. There's not been a lot of offered yet, but we are most keen to present art highlighting positive aspects of Life so if you want to express the joys and strengths afforded by, say, cultural diversity, or whatever your muse demands of you, then we will certainly welcome you with open arms.

Artists

Anyone wishing to make a positive activist contribution to the world through their art is welcome to join us. We have been approached by artists tackling such diverging issues as spirituality, fellowship and community, the environment, social change and even the arts themselves, and we are keen to engage with them all.

Written word artists are encouraged to add spoken word or audio format to their presentation. Similairly for sculptors and architects with video or image representation.

Submit your art for presentation by email in digital format if you can, with a brief description of yourself and your message. If your art makes a positive activist contribution to the world then we shall "launch" you as soon as possible.

If you are unable to provide your art in digital format then email us to make arrangements for receipt of a copy of your art which we shall do our best to convert and present to it's best potential on the website. Audio and video tape, photography and photocopies should present little problems; for other media, email us the details and we shall endeavour to accomodate you.

Activist artists are welcome to send details of where their art can be seen/heard/etc and promote their works.

Critics

Art has an immediate lasting impact, nothing comes even close to the efficacy of art in forging synapses and getting a point accross. In many cases it is a quick fix that grabs us by the heart and can often give it a good shaking. So good so far, and that is quite some achievement, but there is more to be done to ensure the artists' insights are fully realised. While logic, reasoning and science have far to go before they will ever catch up to the technologies of spirituality and emotion, they still have much to offer.

For those indoctrinated into the newspeaks demanded of us, sometimes even to think these ideas represents an herculean task. Once the dogma has been carved aside as only an artist can do and the channels are re-established for our natural insight, there remains the task of analysing, planning and putting to work this insight. It was the duty of the artist to drag us, kicking and screaming if neccessary, from the abstracted constructs we find ourselves penned in, to a vantagepoint where we can see the real world again. It then remains the duty of the critic to provide, for those who need it, assistance with the task of practical application of spiritual technologies.

Those who need it is unfortunately a growing demography but the silent desperation that represents the lives of so many is what the critic can help crack by mapping possible paths from what is endured to what is desired. Amongst their many roles, it is where critics' prowess at connecting concepts in their past, present and potential future contexts is exercised that they serve their communities best, for it is in this capacity that they empower the spiritually atrophied to make those same connections in their somewhat abstracted daily lives and revitalise their repore with the divine.

And a people thus empowered are quite literally capable of anything, even, and this is not one word of exaggeration, even capable of loving each other and being happy, and not all the dogma of mammon could raise a candle to it.

The PLK community welcomes critiques of our works and strongly encourages critics to share their thoughts. As per the works of artists themselves, digital documents (written or spoken word) can be emailed to the address below. Alternatively, email us to arrange receipt of alternative media.

Patrons

It is greatly to the art world's discredit that the patrons' role is perceived as so often it is; there is little need to elaborate, i think we are all aware as to what this alludes. A couple of matters i earnestly commend for the consideration of all are the special role of patrons in making much art, and all it endows us with, possible at all, as well as the simple fact that patrons have made a conscious choice to support the arts - theirs' is a visionary approach the like of which more of us could well emulate.

The PLK community welcomes relationships of patronage, be it for the furtherment of PLK infrastructure or severally/wholly for the artists and/or critics. Potentially greatly rewarding relationships are expressed through patronage of the arts, each one with its own peculiar depths and complexities, and for this reason, when planning to extend your patronage to the PLK community, please contact us at the email address below to arrange discussion of your special requirements.

Audience

A vital role in the effecting of activist art and disseminating its messages is that of the audience, not only to enjoy the art but more importantly to think about it, listen to the critics by all means but ultimately to make up your own minds about it. Talk about activist art and share with others the myriad levels of profit to be derived therefrom. Where the artist strikes a common chord with you, acknowledge the lessons imparted by weaving them into your daily lives. Show your appreciation by a message or donation.

PLK Community

Artists, critics, patrons and audience are the several parts of a community that that enjoys an whole that is far greater than the sum of those parts.

For we, the community PLK, to bear positive influences on the world around us, we need to work together at that most noble of tasks, that of reminding our fellow creatures of their need to work together to effect the changes required to get us back on track, that is, to strive together through a world of mutual respect and support towards realising our potential.

Where so many of the best laid plans are waylaid is through the erosion (or even the perceived erosion) of solidarity with each other.

Once we fall prey to thinking more about ourselves as individuals than about our roles in the greater communities we are part of, then our efforts disintegrate, losing the power they previously mustered to effect positive change. It is up to us all but more particularly there is an onus bourne by artists to highlight this requirement and illustrate it by precept and example.

Suggested Works
If you're an artist wishing to contribute and looking for inspiration, take a look at the ideas our visitors have contributed: http://plk.human-interest.org/suggestedWorks.html

The Name
"Possessed of the Least Knowledege" refers to the Lao Tzu's somewhat cynical response to what he witnessed being practised around him, as expressed in the 53rd entry to his "Tao Te Ching". A translation to English of this verse can be found at http://human-interest.org

PLK is our chosen acronym for those who would foster that least knowledge, that lodestone within us all directing insight into what is worth striving for and what is worth striving against.