“Of what does the nature of kingship consist? What are its qualities in itself; what the qualities it inspires in those who attend it? These, if one may presume to divine the meditations of His Majesty’s heart, are the questions which most preoccupy his own reason and reflection.

I will tell His Majesty what a King is. A king does not abide within his tent while his men bleed and die upon the field. A king does not dine while his men go hungry, nor sleep when they stand at watch upon the wall. A king does not command his men’s loyalty through fear nor purchase it with gold; he earns their love by the sweat on his own back and the pains he endures for their sake. That which comprises the harshest burden, a king lifts first and sets down last. A king does not require service of those he leads but provides it to them. He serves them, not they him.

That is a king, your Majesty. A king does not expend his substance to enslave men, but by his conduct and example makes them free.” [Steven Pressfield]

A review of this event may be read here and in the New York Times here

Leif Elggren writes: “we opened up a temporary Embassy there and we sent the KREV Constitution via Morse-code over to North Korea”

DMZ_2005 is an invitation to international artists to renew a focus on the philosophical, political, social, economical, and cultural ramification of the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) between North and South Korea. The art works in this exhibition will explore concepts about territory, zoning of memory, division of national identities, the politics of information, control and access to information.

Artists from around the world have been invited to create new public works of art to be considered as interventions in the dynamic context of a specific location. It is hoped that the conceptual and aesthetic actions and collaborations of these artists can provide alternatives to the problems of cultural and national division that exists worldwide and encourage communication and exchange across these zones of separation thus contributing to a cultural impetus that will bring an end to DMZ’s wherever they exist.

Information about the organization conducting the project :
DMZ_KOREA is an non-governmental, not-for-profit organization based in South Korea.

The organization exists to establish an exhibition and symposia that includes art and media/information projects that focuses on the social and political dynamics and consequences of borders and divisions in Burma, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Pakistan and between North and South Korea. The exhibition will be a curated selection of inter-disciplinary site-specific projects by international artists.

www.dmz-2005.org

15 Venues in the vicinity of the DMZ including:
Dorasan Station
Heyri Art Valley
Mt. Oh-Du Unification Observatory
Paju Book City
Yu Yeon Kim
Director of DMZ_2005

Cabinet magazine and the Vera List Center for Art and Politics at the New School held a conference recently. Here are the details:

The Summit: A General Assembly with Representatives of Real and Possible Countries

June 23rd (Thursday), 5:30 pm, FREE

The New School, New York

Scholars, diplomats, and spokespersons from both internationally recognized and self-declared countries will gather to consider, propose, and debate what constitutes a country. The evening’s panel discussion, party, and citizenship drive coincide with Cabinet’s forthcoming “Fictional States” issue (summer 2005) and with the Vera List Center for Art and Politics at The New School’s year-long investigation of the concept of “Homeland”
Conference

5:30 to 7:30pm

The Theresa Lang Community and Student Center, 55 West 13th Street, second floor (between 5th and 6th Avenues)

Participants Include:
— Jonathan Bach, Associate Professor of International Affairs, The New School
— Eames Demetrios, artist and Geographer-at-Large, Kymaerica
— Gregory Green, artist and citizen, The New Free State of Caroline
— Ambassador Raymond Loretan, Consul General of Switzerland in New York
— George Pendle, cultural critic and author of “Strange Angel: The Otherworldly Life of Rocket Scientist John Whiteside Parsons”

Party, Film Screenings, and Citizenship Drive
7:30 to 9pm

The Vera List Courtyard, 66 West 12th Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues)

Participants include:
–Jonathan Cedar and Evan Skow, “E Mare Libertas” (screening)
–Ken Montgomery, Minister of Lamination, The Royal Kingdom of Elgaland-Vargaland
–Lary 7, Minister of Audiology, The Royal Kingdom of Elgaland-Vargaland
–Jaime Davidovich, “interview with Zush” (screening)
Of related interest is “We Could Have Invited Everyone,” an exhibition featuring dozens of micro-nations and self-declared countries. The exhibition, curated by Robert Blackson and Peter Coffin, will be on view from June 24 to July 29, 2005 at Andrew Kreps Gallery, 516 West 20th St, New York.

For further information about Cabinet, visit www.cabinetmagazine.org
For further information about the Vera List Center for Art and Politics, visit www.nsu/newschool.edu/vlc

The toolbox of The Minister of Lamination

The Minister of Audiology at work

The French Ambassador must be congratulated for his vigilance!

One day, in sunny Caen, Normandie, he happened to be strolling down the street, when he saw, to his AMAZEMENT, some clothes in a shop window bearing the KREV logo – the double-headed crown!!! The clothes were in the window of Projection – 7 rue Paul Doumer. Use of this logo was not authorised by the Kings!!! And interestingly, they bear the logo of international high street clothes designer von Dutch… who have denied all knowledge of this and claim the clothes are counterfeit.

The French Ambassador sensibly purchased one of the T-Shirts and kept the receipt…
We will keep you updated with news concerning this story…

In attendance at the UK Embassy on 31st May 2005 were:

KING MICHAEL 1st
KING LEIF 1st
THE KING OF SCOTLAND
THE MINISTER FOR DIRTY TRICKS & SMEAR CAMPAIGNS
THE MINISTER FOR MEDIA
THE MINISTER FOR WORDS
THE MINISTER FOR ASTRAL PROJECTION
THE MINISTER FOR SHAGGING
THE MINISTER FOR DISTRESSED BORDERS
THE MINISTER FOR CONTEMPLATION [incorporating The Scooter Protectorate]
CITIZEN ESTHER WILLIAMS
PRINCESS MARIA von HAUSSWOLFF
and
THE FILIPINA MAID

Apologia
THE MINISTER FOR NOSTALGIA
and
THE MINISTER FOR PIERCINGS & INCONSOLABILITY
express their condolences, but are in Washington DC.

photos by Maria von Hausswolff:

Warmest congratulations to the Minister for Dirty Tricks & Smear Campaigns who last night won a BAFTA for Best New Director. The award was for his direction of the Film “Dirty War” [HBO/BBC Films] which was co-written by The Filipina Maid.

DMZ_2005 is an invitation to international artists to renew a focus on the philosophical, political, social, economical and cultural ramifications of the Korean DMZ and other enforced divisions of territory and nations by addressing global and local issues of specific concern to the individual artists. It is envisaged that the works and research of these artists will explore concepts about territory, zoning of memory, division of national identities, the politics of information, control and access to information, territory, and memory.

The New United States of America have approached the UK Ambassador to ask for recognition of this new nation. More info to follow…

The Kingdoms of Elgaland-Vargaland National Anthem was performed at the IDEAL festival in The Atelier Grande in Nantes, France, April 08 – 09, with versions by John Duncan, Edvard Graham Lewis, Leif Elggren and Carl Michael Von Hausswolff. Also appearing at the festival were Charlemagne Palestine and Tony Conrad, NSK/Laibach, Einsturzende Neubauten, and The Balenescu Quartet.

Here is the French Ambassador, Thierry Weyd, at the festival: