Trans-Pacific Artivist Solidarity

Another fabulous project from the inspired and passionate folks at Just Seeds, this time to bring attention to the environmental and humanitarian devastation inflicted from liquefied natural gas exploitation on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.  Three Portland-based Just Seeds members (Alec Dunn, Roger Peet and Pete Yahnke) teamed up with Indonesian political art collective, Taring Padi to create a twinned set of two large-scale block prints depicting the poison effects of liquefied natural gas exploration and mining in Java and the destruction of farms and natural habitats that would result from the construction of the Palomar natural gas pipeline across the Cascade Mountains in Oregon. 

The two prints are touring both the US and Indonesia and serve as the spark to raise awareness and foster solidarity. This image is from a recent Taring Padi protest organized at the site of the Sidoarjo mud-flow, an environmental and social disaster area in North Java. The desolate area in the background is the result of a blowout of a natural-gas well.

Proving activism and solidarity can pay off,  LNG cancelled plans for their proposed pipeline through the fragile Oregon ecosystems.

Tonight in Portland, you can see the prints up close at the exhibit's closing (7pm, at the Fresh Pot on NE Mississippi). You'll hear about the threats still posed by LNG development plans and see a presentation by Roger about the project.  If you miss that, catch up with the project or buy small silkscreen versions of the prints at the project blog here.