Hyper Allergic Labs
Bespangled
August.2011
From: Bespangled. “A Contract of Moral Commitment to Promote Immigrant Rights,” Hyperallergic Labs Blog, published by Going Off Script. August 2011, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, United States.
http://hyperallergic.tumblr.com/post/7973468635/tania-bruguera-a-contract-of-moral-commitment-to
A Contract of Moral Commitment to Promote Immigrant Rights
Tania Bruguera, Tania Bruguera, “A Contract o f Moral Commitment to Promote A Contract o f Moral Commitment to Promote Immigrant Rights Immigrant Rights” as a part o f the as a part o f the Immigrant Movement International Immigrant Movement International (2011) Tania Bruguera Tania Bruguera’s Immigrant Movement International project s Immigrant Movement International project encompasses a broad range o f events and practice: workshops and in fo encompasses a broad range o f events and practice: workshops and in fo sessions and talks and discussions. Essentially, IM International is a sessions and talks and discussions. Essentially, IM International is a social space centered around working out political issues. Bruguera social space centered around working out political issues. Bruguera describes it thusly on its website describes it thusly on its website:
Immigrant Movement International (IM International) is a fiveyear project initiated by artist Tania Bruguera. Its mission is year project initiated by artist Tania Bruguera. Its mission is to help define the immigrant as a unique, new global citizen in a help define the immigrant as a unique, new global citizen in a post-national world and to test the concept of arte útil or national world and to test the concept of arte útil or “useful art”, in which artists actively implement the merger of “useful art”, in which artists actively implement the merger of art into society’s urgent social, political and scientific issues. art into society’s urgent social, political and scientific issues.
During 2011, IM International is located in Queens, NY—a borough where 167 languages are spoken and where 46 borough where 167 languages are spoken and where 46 percent of the population is foreign born. From its office on percent of the population is foreign born. From its office on Roosevelt Avenue in Corona (a neighborhood dominated by Roosevelt Avenue in Corona (a neighborhood dominated by Ecuadorian, Dominican, Mexican, Chinese, South Asian, Korean ican, Chinese, South Asian, Korean immigrants), IM International provides space for member and immigrants), IM International provides space for member and outreach activities by local social service and cultural outreach activities by local social service and cultural organizations, engages elected officials, and hosts monthly organizations, engages elected officials, and hosts monthly “Make a Movement” Sundays in which artists, “Make a Movement” Sundays in which artists, activists, and activists, and community members come together to celebrate and build a community members come together to celebrate and build a new, cross new, cross-national immigrant community. national immigrant community.
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As it moves to di f ferent locations around the world, As it moves to di f ferent locations around the world, IM International IM International will draw on the lessons learned in the multinational and will draw on the lessons learned in the multinational and transnational transnational neighborhood o f Corona and its vibrant and pioneering neighborhood o f Corona and its vibrant and pioneering organizations run by immigrants for immigrants. organizations run by immigrants for immigrants.