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Press Release for The Curious End to the War Against Ourselves– RNC & DNC

Contact:  Andrew Purchin

www.TheCuriousProject.org

andrew@andrewpurchin.com

(831) 345-5044

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
“The Curious End to the War Against Ourselves” is a 170 foot scroll and a public art-making installation. It is A Crusade for Compassionate, Creative Conversations at the 2016 Republican & Democratic National Conventions.

Get Curious and Not Furious!

In response to the hate speech and violence in our nation, artist and psychotherapist Andrew Purchin has an antidote.  He will invite the public to paint and draw on a 170 foot linen scroll entitled, “The Curious End to the War Against Ourselves at the political conventions. 

As they create, participants will listen to a short art-making meditation on their phones which is designed to help them find compassion towards those whom they judge.  

The resulting scroll will be a testament to the unique expressions of the many people who are finding a way to get calm, curious and not furious. The story of this pilgrimage will inspire viewers to think outside of the box and help us stop blaming each other and start seeing each other. 

RNC update Over 100 people of all political stripes have painted and drawn on the scroll while being guided through the art making meditation.  100% have reported feeling more relaxed.  "I can see the humanity of these people," is a refrain that has been heard more than once.  Thousands of people heard our message and recieved our brochures. Stationed in front of Wonder Bar on the bustling E.4th street, the team, called out, "Relax with art," and "You can open your hearts to those you disagree with and still disagree," as they hand out buttons that say, "Get Curious, Not Furious."

Why?

  • To provide a refuge of calm amongst the frenzy of the political conventions.
  • To prioritize creativity, democracy and open non-judgmental communication across differences.
  • To put self reflection and conflict resolution on the national stage.

Where?

Look for the google maps pin on facebook.com/TheCuriousEndToTheWarAgainstOurselves/

In Cleveland, July 18  the installation was in Willard Park.  July 20th 1- 8:30 PM we will be on East 4th st., Euclid or on Prospect.  In Philadelphia, July 25- 27th it will be near the convention center. 

Why make a scroll?

Because it's ancient and slow.  It’s so different than a cell phone. It calls for reverence.  “The Curious End to the War Against Ourselves” is an important story.  It deserves an epic format. 

Why make art in the midst of conflict?

Making art can calm us down. The feeling of painting, drawing, sculpting helps us be in our bodies and we can relax into a mindset of curiosity.  We pay attention to what our bodies know, instead of what our critical voices are saying.  We can discern instead of judge, evaluate instead of fight, experiment instead of needing to be right.

Find the 9 minute guided art making meditation here.

Link to Pictures and Graphics: 

Andrew Purchin is an artist and psychotherapist from Santa Cruz, California.  He painted on site at the Republican and the Democratic national conventions in 2012.  He organized “A Thousand Artists: A Public Art-Making Installation” at the 2013 Presidential Inauguration in which over a hundred people made art amongst the spectators.  And it was Purchin’s audacious act to paint on site at the Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009.

“When we were kids most of us, both conservatives and liberals enjoyed playing with paints.  Let’s get back to basics and find the joy in feeling paint, seeing color and expressing who we are without judging each other.  It’s happened before, it can happen again.”

“I hope you are at peace with yourself and those around you.  I am not always.  

I would like to be.  

I want to be calm, creative, compassionate all the time.  

Open to the beauty that is everywhere, even in places of conflict.

I wonder if you have an inner critic and a part of you that judges others like I do?

I try to be curious, not furious.  

As I paint and draw on this scroll I'm looking at you and all the people here.  

I see the beauty in your gestures and forms.”

“The world I want to live in is one in which we do our own things and listen.  We follow our creative drives while at the same time we are viscerally aware of each other, allowing space for both harmony and dissonance.  I do everything to make this possible.”

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Andrew Purchin

www.andrewpurchin.com

andrew@andrewpurchin.com

 

(831) 345-5044

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