Romantso Cultural Centre, Athens
20/04/2017 - 30/04/2017
for ‘Gestures of Resistance’ exhibition and public procession
Curated by Jean Wainwright, to “respond to our current general mood of political anxiety and alienation”
Jungle fever in Athens map
JUNGLE FEVER promotes the importance of play, not just play for its own sake but playing as an act of resistance, playing seriously, to re-think the here and now, to reclaim it from politicians, bankers and city planners.
The Jungle refers to both our interior and exterior landscape and the fever to a particular state of mind conducive to play, introspection or innovation.
A map and 2 banners
The map refers equally to one’s mind, body, or the city itself as potential sites for gestures of resistance. The instructions provided on the back of the map allude to a playful and creative approach to protesting; as acts of resistance against ruthless capitalism and consumerism, as so many ways of “changing the world without wanting power”, in the words of John Holloway.
Some of the slogans have been inscribed on 2 banners used in a procession through the streets of Athens.
Jungle Fever in Athens banners
JUNGLE FEVER (wish you were here)
was initiated in 2011, originally as an attempt to reclaim Leisure and Tourism, by subverting the strategies of their consumption for collective explorations of personal borders, as if they were exotic or unchartered territory. The project has evolved in response to what fellow junglers contributed along the way. We are now concerned with a broader engagement with the everyday, advocating a creative and playful rather than a passive or consuming attitude.
It is inspired by Rober Filliou insightful words: “ Leisure will have an important role in society. .. The role of the artist is to promote the creative use of leisure and creativity as a way of life, but also as a weapon against alienation” (Teaching and learning as performing art, 1970.)