I never like to tell federal prosecutors their own business,
but look, guys: run these financial numbers through your spreadsheets. You're not gonna win this case. GIVE UP. If you won't
give up, then go back to the drawing board and
indict this Kurtz guy with some ACTUAL LAWS that involve
some GENUINELY CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
From: [email protected]
Subject: Auction huge success; prosecution intensifies
Date: April 20, 2005 7:49:50 PM CDT
Reply-To: [email protected]
April 21, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: mailto:[email protected]
AUCTION TO BENEFIT CAE DEFENSE FUND IS OVERWHELMING SUCCESS
Government intensifies investigation
On Sunday April 17, an art auction to benefit the CAE Defense Fund
raised $167,700. The auction, held at Paula Cooper Gallery in New York City, featured over fifty artists who donated their work to the cause.
The amount raised was over three times more than had been raised (and spent) in the eleven months preceding the auction. Still, two to three times as much may be needed to successfully defend Steve Kurtz, a founding member of Critical Art Ensemble (CAE) and Professor of Art at the University of Buffalo, and Robert Ferrell, a Professor of Human Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh, throughout the entire trial process.
While the auction's success demonstrates the growing support for CAE, the ordeal grinds on as the prosecution vigorously pursues its "case" and the FBI continues to expand its costly investigation against the artists' collective. Two days after the fundraiser, Steven Barnes, another founding member of the CAE, appeared before a federal grand jury in response to a subpoena which indicates that the Justice Department is again seeking charges under Section 175 of the US Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of 1989, as expanded by the USA PATRIOT Act. Under advice of his attorney, Barnes is unable to speak about the grand jury hearing itself.
*A note to the feds involved in this case:
This is an American artist charged under the
"Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act"!
Think of the judgment of history, people! You'll
be pathetic footnotes in the history of McCarthyite lunacy!
How the hell did you work yourselves into this dark corner?
Get a grip!
The benefit auction at Paula Cooper Gallery saw hundreds of people
stream through the gallery all day. The event culminated with a live
auction hosted by writer/actor Wallace Shawn. In his opening remarks, Shawn spoke against complacency and apathy during these very dangerous times. Steve Kurtz, who attended the auction, was unable to speak directly about the case under advice of council. He graciously thanked the crowd, obviously moved by this strong show of support.
*This is EMBARRASSING to every party concerned!
It's like some wacky Teutonic aberration out of the
East German Stasi! Is it this hard to convict some art
professor in Buffalo for whatever the hell crime it is you
think he did? Use some REAL LAWS, for heaven's sake!
Use something you could TAKE TO A REAL LIVE JURY!
Look, feds: what is your victory condition? Imagine
the utter mayhem that would erupt if you actually put
this leftist professor into prison (or into Guantanamo, or whatever
it is you have in mind)! Do you want to get plaintive handwritten
letter from Amnesty International for the rest of your
natural lives? What the hell do you think you will gain from this weird effort? A kiss on the lips from Ashcroft and Poindexter? Forget about that! Even the new Pope won't absolve you! You're in
way over your heads! You're coming across like bit players out of GHOSTBUSTERS, you're starting to scare the straights here! Go indict some actual lawbreakers!
Artists who donated their works to the auction included: Acconci
Studio, Dennis Adams, Carl Andre, The Atlas Group, Nayland Blake, Mel Bochner, Cecily Brown, Chris Burden, Paul Chan, Jeremy Deller, Mark Dion, Sam Durant, Tony Feher, Andrea Fraser, Joseph Grigely, Hans Haacke, Ann Hamilton, Rachel Harrison, Emily Jacir, Mike Kelley, Mary Kelly, Barbara Kruger, (((yo!))) William Pope L., Louise Lawler, Zoe Leonard, Sol LeWitt, Glenn Ligon, Sharon Lockhart, Brice Marden, Allan McCollum, Julie Mehretu, Arnold Mesches, Donald Moffett, Dave Muller, Vik Muniz, Takashi Murakami, (((Okay, that did it right there – TAKASHI MURAKAMI?! You suckers are doomed))) Yoshitomo Nara, Cathy Opie, Ruben Ortiz
Torres, Laura Owens, David Reed, Alexis Rockman, (((the man, the legend))) Martha Rosler,
Christy Rupp, Carolee Schneemann, ()((you go, girl))) Richard Serra, Cindy Sherman, (((CINDY SHERMAN!? Okay, buy one of Cindy's coffee-table books, go home, read it, and resign from the bar immediately))) Amy Sillman, Lorna Simpson, Kiki Smith, (((yowzah!))) Janaina Tschape, and many more.
To view some of the donated artwork, please visit:
http://caedefensefund.org/caedefensefundauction.html
For more information on Steve Kurtz's case, please visit
http://caedefensefund.org
Press inquiries may be directed to mailto:[email protected]
