An international agitprop website exhibition to highlight freedom of speech
(received 2000.03.21 from Chaz Maviyane-Davies, Harare, Zimbabwe )
Prompted by a bill from the Governement of Zimbabwe that will force all email & internet service providers to allow the government to view ALL communications into & out of Zimbabwe - under the auspices of national security - and together with a concerned local company, Utande Internet Services, we are setting up an international agitprop exhibition website around the general theme of freedom of expression. Using the internet for the exhibition seemed the most appropriate media to fight against its own censorship and how we can all use it to defend itself against the powers that be. We are asking designers to contribute an image to this site.
As an agitprop site, we will try to give the site as much exposure as possible as well as being a solidarity image billboard in our fight to amend the proposed law. We believe that designers have the skills, power and imagination to make an impact and highlight the importance of freedom of speech and the absurdity and dangers of this draconian piece of legislation which violates freedom of communication, guarantees of privacy and has universal implications.
Any designer is eligible to enter, but just one entry per person.
The image you send can be any shape but will be used within a maximum frame size of 720 (width) X 540 (height) pixels at 72dpi. This is so that anyone even with the most basic monitor can access this information. The image should be then compressed into a JPEG or GIF file format to less than 100k if possible. We would also like to know your name and your country. If we manage to get sponsorship, we would one day like to make a bound A5 catalogue of the exhibition, so please keep the high resolution (300dpi) copy of your image until further notice.
We will not put any image on the site considered culturally or morally offensive to any country or group of people. This is a non-profit making exercise created to bring awareness to the struggle for freedom of expression around the globe.
Email your visual contribution to: postmaster@article7.org from 25th March to 15th May 2000 and this will be published on http://www.article7.org as soon as we have enough images to begin with until 20th may 2000, when the full and final exhibiton will be ready. Any queries can be addressed to me at: chaz@article7.org
Please pass on this invitation for participation to other concerned designers, publications and interested parties anywhere in the world.
We and humanity thank you in advance for your participation in lending your time and skills to this effort.
Regards
Chaz Maviyane-Davies
21st March, 2000 Harare, Zimbabwe