[Vigil in German: Mahnwache] – You find the German version of this page here …
“Art is mainly a political act.” — Kikos Papadopoulos, Founding Director of Santorini Biennale
Due to the character of an art show that follows the tradition of SANTORINI BIENNALE a special form of artistic protest was developed. BLACK VIGIL is a form of a silent protest targeting a POI. POI stands for a person with influence but also for Person / Point / Project Of Interest. A BLACK VIGIL can happen at various places to bring to a Person of Influence and to the Public in general awareness to the art show THE CODE and to the situation of artists who are facing a lack of political freedom for their art.
Act a as BLACK VIGIL.
Everyone interested in performing a BLACK VIGIL operation can apply. Nevertheless, legally there is no need to apply. The idea is set in the public domain, so every person can use the concept and adapt it into to a best working form of a silent protest. In BLACK VIGIL there is no action at all. The performer (you could also use the term “activist”) holds a square element in black colour, mostly mounted on a stick presenting the black surface like being a city tour guide waiting for a group to gather around. Therefore, the format shall be not too small. The performer is setting up a BLACK VIGIL operation by informing the person or organization that is being addressed. This informing procedure can be done in various ways. A good way is to call the person by mobile.
Zermann audio has provided an announcement you can use. It is available in English, German, Italian, Spanish, French, Russian, Afrikaans, Arab, Hindu …
"Legal Information about an upcoming protest at your location. Please listen carefully. The announcement will start in 30 seconds. You are free to record the announcement. Until you are setup we play Hand pan by Radim Sychra, a street artist from Prague.
You have been told that the public opinion that we share is quite concerned of the current and ongoing political situation about human rights in various states of Africa. You are one of the major players and influencers. You also have business activities there. Your voice is heard, if you would have a voice, but you stay silent. We call your voice.
You are hereby informed that within the next hour a BLACK VIGIL will start at your location. BLACK VIGIL is a silent protest that is sent out by THE CODE, I SEE YOU. BLACK VIGIL was created by Reiner Schneeberger, in Afrikaans Ervare, which stands for the old man knowing, for LAND OF HAM, which is a part of the Interbiennale of immersive art. A BLACK VIGIL links back to the words of the founder of Santorini Biennale, Kikos Papadopoulos, that Art is mainly a political act. A BLACK VIGIL performer will hold a black sign for the time span that was told to the officials, usually the regulatory office of the local police. You may address the performer to hand you out a copy to see that the action is legitimate."
Another way to inform the POI is to use one of various messenger services and sending an SMS. The information shall not be short, it is part of the issue celebration. To allot a reasonable amount of time of the POI is supportive to gain attention and to allocate resources for possible insights and a future change. You may call it steeling the time of the PIO for a higher good. But in fact, it is like studying the Bible, the Quran or other books of ancient wisdom before you put the first quote into your opening. You might be skeptical and say, “Who will listen beyond the POI I am talking to?”
That’s when the catatonic intervention takes place: “I have informed the officials 48 hours ahead that I will perform a BLACK VIGIL in 45 minutes at the designated location at XXXX. I spoke with police officer YYYY and it looks good. I will give you the phone number so you can double check. One moment. Here ist is: ZZZZ. In the next five minutes I send you the fax transmission that I sent two days ago to the police due to the legal requests. Can we double check if my notes on your contact details are correct? They will be part of the press statement.”
Then you take a pause, starting by “One moment, this might be of importance to you. Let me grab the list of persons I invited.” Then you continue. “I have informed the members of the golf club and the board of directors you are part of. The matter is too serious not to give the event a public dimension. Also, I invited the press and the Bishop of the Church of Seven Angels.”
Above words, set in italic, might create a sort of side impact and moves you in a position we don’t want. So you continue, “Don’t worry, I don’t expect any of them to come. It is a BLACK VIGIL, it is not a slaughter house.” You can add whatever fits to your personal voice, like: “Jesus said, that in heaven is more joy of one bad guy changing mind than 100 of good ones being on the right path.” Then you go on and on … like: “Don’t worry, this talk is not recorded. I will make a protocol later and upload it, but as I said, no recording.”
Important is that it is of not much of a relevance if any of the invited persons will come. You have to be very clear on this. A BLACK VIGIL is a zero-fault operation. It cannot go wrong or drift sideways. What counts is the happening and the documentation. There are many examples that exactly this approach is it that works. You will write in the finals, “That all went as expected.” A POI who was addressed will move in the HALL OF HAM alongside with the story. LAND OF HAM is the oldest name for Africa. No wonder that Ervare, the author of the Gods of Informatics has claimed this name for the First African Interbiennale in the Webmetaversum.
It is also of less interest if the POI shows any change of attitude. Usually, an attitude can´t be changed by a BLACK VIGIL operation directly as there is no threat in it. It is a modern form of a Mahatma Gandhi protest. Keep in mind, that the type of a POI we address by a BLACK VIGIL is highly qualified and stress resistant. You would make yourself to a laugh if you say, “The press will report on it” as you don’t control the press nor people who promised you to join.
The way the POI is addressed is important. It is a form of art on its own. It can be a celebration of some kind. The purpose of this page is not to outline steps you copy. It is to give you an idea that is behind. You honour the location by your appearance. You don´t have to hand out a flyer or a petition to sign.
The 30+ minutes event.
Usually, the performer sits on a chair, reading a book, using a smartphone or a notebook, even eating a sandwich, so time is running smoothly. Nevertheless, the square black sign has always to stand upright. Never lay it flat on the ground. It is like a flag in battle or a monstrance shown in a procession walk.
A BLACK VIGIL happens only when the weather is good. In contrast to the global situation of the suffering people we address, the performer is well dressed, is freshly showered … and so on. In total the performer will give a reasonably good picture in case anyone takes a photo. To wear sunglasses is fine, also to wear a hat, but no masks. Best would be you are dressed like for a funeral.
There might be a legal need to uncover the identity of the performer. Keep your ID card ready and make a copy of it. Don’t take your regular smartphone with you. There could be someone blaming you that you took a photo even if you didn’t. A performer of a BLACK VIGIL never takes photos of people.
The spot.
Most important is to select the right spot for your BLACK VIGIL. Don’t seek for spots that look like a “me too” spot. A spot where every day is a protest is “overused” and makes no sense for a BLACK VIGIL. It is the artistic disruptive effect that makes a BLACK VIGIL to one.
Example.
Let me show you how you prepare a BLACK VIGIL in practice. Why a BLACK VIGIL is needed in this case you can see by looking at the BLACK VIGIL ANNOUNCEMENT (INIT LETTER) … [PDF]. Make it as an “Open Letter.” Remember, that this is just an example. Take it an inspiration for doing your own set.
As you see in the INIT LETTER the POI is the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Uganda, Prof. Dr. Nikolaus M. Schmidt, in Leipzig (Germany). There you find a quote bye the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden and one bye the German Foreign Ministry: “Das sogenannte Anti-Homosexuellengesetz in Uganda sehen wir mit großer Sorge. Uganda ist mit der Unterzeichnung internationaler Menschenrechtsabkommen wie dem UN-Zivilpakt und v.a. der Afrikanischen Charta der Menschenrechte und der Rechte der Völker verbindliche menschenrechtliche Verpflichtungen eingegangen. Das Gesetz stellt eine Verletzung dieser grundlegenden und allgemeinen Menschenrechte von queeren Personen dar. Unsere Überzeugung ist klar: Jede Person hat das Recht zu lieben, wen sie will. Dass das Gesetz nun nach dem Urteil des Obersten Gerichts in Kraft bleibt, ist sehr besorgniserregend. Besonders, da auch weiterhin die Todesstrafe verhängt werden kann – eine Form der Strafe die Deutschland und seine europäischen Partner unter allen Umständen ablehnen.”
First let us check the self-given image of the POI. It states that a Honorary Consul is a honorary employee (“Ehrenbeamter”) of the State.
The homepage gives the postal address and the email:
There is no phone, no fax, no mobile of the Honorary consulate. Well to send an email makes little sense. One email is fine, but after a third one you might land in the SPAM folder.
In general: “How to deal with lack of information?” Check the official State entries and you get phone (+49 341 337 384 44) and fax (+49 341 337384 45) and the opening hours (Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 12:00 CET). A BLACK VIGIL therefore shall start between 10:15 and 11:00 CET.
The cell phone of the Honorary Consul is surely of higher importance as we want to gain attention by the decision maker. A search shows us that this information is published at a different page. The mobile number is: +49 174 33 11 587
Check where is business made. To continue business with a regime that does not treat human rights the way the Charta of the United Nations demands might be not based on legal grounds.
You may ask how often it is allowed to call someone on his cellphone? The high court of Germany at Cologne ruled in 2015 that 20 to 30 calls and SMS per week might be too much (II-26 UF 197/14, 26 UF 197/14). So you are on the safe side for action as a performer of a BLACK VIGIL. You call only once for each session. The POI shall be informed. On the other hand a Honorary Consul is a person of public interest. Is there a limit? You are obliged to inform the POI upfront, right?
How the concrete operation went stays confidential. It was setup in cooperation with NGOs who care of human rights …
OPEN LETTER
Before you start a BLACK VIGIL ensure that you have proof that you sent the INIT LETTER. This INIT LETTER is always bridging is reaching out hand.
Do some research on the POI. Some POI are in place for over 20 years, a time span where a lot has changed. It might have started wonderfully “The pearl of Africa” and now the POI has not the guts to stand up, but would so much like to do it. Maybe your letter gives the right push the POI was desperately waiting for. Maybe the POI calls the President and says, “I have to take position or we loose money. The World Bank is dropping the funds. Let´s act together for a change. Let´s finance an art show where local LGTB+ artists are included.”
In case you don´t get a response by the POI you are happy to go forward by it, then send the letter again and add that you hereby set the letter on public. Usually it is called an Open Letter. If you get an email as a answer where it is stated in the footer that you have to treat the content confidential then reply “that you don´t agree to this restriction” and state that your letter was a open one, suited to be noticed by everyone. This shall go also for the response.
ENTER THE CODE 