Do I need it? Or just want it?
December 15th, 2007 by jeanSomething to think about during the purchasing frenzy that precedes Christmas …
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Miss Landmine - everybody has the right to be beautiful
November 25th, 2007 by jeanThere are days when recycling and changing lightbulbs feels hopelessly trivial.
Miss Landmine is a beauty pageant for Angolan women who have lost limbs in landmine accidents. This project, by norwegian artist, Morton Traavik, has generated some debate. Shouldn’t this be the purpose of art? Creating dialogue, provoking thought, moving people to action?
THE MISS LANDMINE MANIFESTO (from the project website)
(in no particular order)
* Female pride and empowerment.
* Disabled pride and empowerment. * Global and local landmine awareness and information.
* Challenge inferiority and/or guilt complexes that hinder creativity-
historical, cultural, social, personal, African, European.
* Question established concepts of physical perfection.
* Challenge old and ingrown concepts of cultural cooperation.
* Celebrate true beauty.
* Replace the passive term ‘Victim’ with the active term ‘Survivor’
Look at the smiles and read about the lives of the candidates at Miss Landmine.
Imagine, for a moment, living that life, having those dreams.
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