activism + protest.

The positive side of things, because after all, activism is not a 4-letter word.

Riot Dog!

| Betsy

Apologies now to anyone who really dislikes parentheses.

This is one of those “in case you missed it” posts, because this story broke earlier this year. Because it’s Saturday and because I find this completely fascinating, here’s a video of the Riot Dog in Greece.





While the destructive element of the Black Bloc angers me to no end, there are members who have saved a lot of protesters from harm’s way, which is never a bad thing. So I’m not posting this in solidarity of them, who feature in many images in the video, but for the fascinating repeated attendance of this dog.

But… This post is about the dog, not the Black Bloc. The fluffy, furry 4-legged pal who has shown up at riots in Greece over the past few years. Riot Dog was in the news a lot earlier this year and even has his own Facebook page. Apparently there are several Riot Dogs depending on the source, the most famous being Kanellos, who died in 2008 according to some people. Others seem to think Kanellos is still with us.

Interestingly, I found a blog post reporting Kanellos died in 2008, and was eventually given his own wheelchair and, eventually, a proper grave. It seems like the dog in the video is Louk, who is rumored to be one of Kanellos’ pups. There is (a lot) more about the life of Kanellos over here. You can also decide for yourself whether his name is spelled Kanelos or Kanellos, it seems to vary.

What I like is the idea of these pups being “of the people.” Psychology Today even wrote a nice article about why these dogs get involved. A lot of the stories on (the) Riot Dog(s) have featured the same photos over and over, but for variety, here’s one with the dog and teargas one of the dog drinking milk (which is unrelated and therefore, weird) and (also somewhat weird) a photo of Kanelos’ reception -with cake!- on winning Dog of the Year over on his own personal Facebook page, where there many more photos of the supposed “original” Greek Riot Dog. And when you’re done with the photos, there are quite a few “Riot Dog” videos over on YouTube.

I like the thought of (a) pup(s) of the people joining them during all of the chaos, y’know, (wo)man’s best friend and all. Riot Dog is most likely several different dogs, but, that still doesn’t take away its mythical status, or make it less like a folktale. I like the thought of people speaking up (although not a fan of these types of protests) for their city and country and the dog(s) doing the same alongside them. Whatever his (her?) name is, or however many Riot Dogs there are, these dogs are widely celebrated for the loyalty, courage and energy they disperse among the chaos. Three traits in which anyone who wants true change must adopt, no matter how many feet.

Urban Engagement, Graffiti Knitting & A Really Cool Dog

| Betsy

If you follow what’s going on in the craft world, chances are you know about what’s been called yarn bombing, yarn storming, graffiti knitting and/or guerrilla knitting. It’s a crafty way to reclaim city space and make your town, city, village more personable and less drab. It’s so easy to get lost in a sea of concrete and brick and asphalt- Why not liven it up a bit? Crafters around the world are doing just that, covering statues, lightposts, bike rails… bus stops… the bus stop above was adorned in Tel Aviv by the group Savta Connection.

As generally happens in life, some people love it. Some people hate it. Either way you crack it, it opens up a dialogue about engaging with public space. For decades artists and kids hellbent on vandalism alike have used public space and walls as their canvas. Some of it is great, others not so much.

But what urban knitting does that street art doesn’t is bring the tactile into the equation. You can touch it and feel the different types of yarn involved. It’s taking street art just one step further. With this in mind, I was ecstatic when recently I discovered the project in the video below called “Sniff.” First of all, go watch the video… then keep reading.

Sniff from karolina sobecka on Vimeo.

Okay, now that you’ve seen the video, you know what I mean about it also taking street art a step further. And this is just the beginning! After you calm down again after the awesomeness above, maybe have a cup of tea or something, you may have some questions like…

1. Just what is going on with that dog? You can see how the did it over here.
2. Who made this? Karolina Sobecka.
3. What else has she done? By clicking over to her website you can see other projects listed on the left-hand side of the screen. I suggest Wildlife, which will both make you feel like you’re in a Disney movie and ask yourself, “What animal do I want running beside me as I drive to the grocery store?”

Or you may have totally different questions or ideas entirely, in which case I urge you to explore them. Search for solutions to the question. Brainstorm the execution of that idea. Just let your mind wander where it will, and try checking out other urban art projects like this one:


Kindred Times and Future Goodbyes from Leah Borromeo on Vimeo.



Also recommended, Sarah Corbett’s (of Craftivist Collective) essay My Right to be a Craftivist.

The post above the line was originally posted on the now defunct collaborative blog Make and Meaning on January 4, 2010.

Photo from Flickr user serenity_now.

Knitting as a Revolutionary Act.

| Betsy

Sometimes there are no real words to accompany something so raw and good and true. And in those cases, you just introduce those words and bow out. Yes, this is one of those cases.


Knitting as Revolutionary Act via 21st Century Manifesto.

…let’s linger on the silly details, like the fly that lands on the cuff of a gas station attendant or the type of cucumber that the driver is eating. Yes, let’s write about waking up to another curfew day, looking out on the empty streets and looking up to see a sky full of mocking kites, streamers wagging, strings tugging at delighted children that crowd Nablus’s open windows.



More over here at Kelly Rand for passing this along!






Who needs fiction?

| Betsy

One of the coolest things about putting new content online is that people start to send you notices and info about new projects coming up! Yay! Yes, sometimes people even send me promo items. That being said, there are a few amount of promo items I get that I don’t like. And at times when I get a fair amount of them, not all of them I end up writing about. Which means that a) the ones I do write about I really like and b) I know that the web is a wild and woolly place and that the awesome projects I don’t get to write about will be championed elsewhere.

It gets even cooler when people learn that I live for opening the door on real life. While fiction has its place, it’s non-fiction that truly transports and guides towards noticing, questioning and reinterpreting the world around us.





That being said… here is a little bit about one documentary I was contacted about recently called The Lives of Mt. Druitt Youth. As I do love documentaries more than most things, I was chuffed to see that this particular documentary is about shedding light on a place that stereotypes tend to darken and view negatively instead of truthfully. While as we all know that stereotypes do tend to exist for a reason, we should also know that they rarely present the whole story. And when it comes to specific cities, neighborhoods or places, linguistics tend to sully things allowing fear to gain traction solely on a name… Something that gangs, criminals and other not-so-nice people tend to capitalize on.

From his email, Saad notes the sypnosis for this new 60 min long documentary:

Come with Saad as he explores the face of Mount Druitt never seen by outsiders. A look into the various lives of youth across this misconceived suburb that has built up a notorious reputation of crime and drug’s. Saad unravels life stories that go against all the stereotypical branding of the suburb, as the young youths tell of their experiences in regards to Money, Drugs, Crime & Social Conflicts whilst growing up in an area looked down upon by many. An intimate Journey that aims to change the perspective of any viewer.

You can check out the Facebook page for this doc over here. There’s also more information on the film plus links to interviews and press over at Wikipedia. Adam’s documentary is available for sale over on the documentary’s website, and there are several clips other than the above over on YouTube.

While I haven’t personally seen this doc in its entirety, I wanted to share a bit about it as I think that what Saad has done at 23, documenting his local community and fighting stereotypes is well worth applauding and supporting. Imagine what could be accomplished if more youth decided to open up the curtains behind what’s really going on in their communities beyond the negative press.

Need more documentaries? You can now watch PBS’ series Independent Lens online! Need more photos? Go check out the