Water loving activist Sam Mahon, who made a bust of Environment Minister Nick Smith out of dairy-cow dung and created a painting of prime minister John Key dead in an alley to protest against National Party Politics, invites you to the launch of his new book .This summer potentially toxic algae (benthic Cyanobacteria ) is appearing in our Canterbury rivers a sign that all is not well in our environment. Sam’s Mahon is writing about the water politics leading to our degraded and ravaged rivers.
Book launch at Rudolf Steiner auditorium: 19 Ombersley Tce, St Martins:
March 2nd 7-9 pm:. Contact: sammahonart@gmail.com Ph 027 220 1691
Sam Mahon’s new book, ‘Franzi and the great terrain robbery’ is a
description of fighting on a broad environmental battlefield, it is a
portrait gallery of those who continue to abstract, partition, and
deliver by stealth the commons into private hands. It is a protest
against the disinheritance of our children.
One of the leading chapters is based on an interview with professor
of law Philip Joseph and his opinion that the Ecan Act is an affront
to natural justice, constitutional law and the Bill of Rights. The
last chapter describes the building of a stone cairn in Cathedral
Square, a monument to our hobbled democracy and dying rivers. It was
built on a sleet-driven June afternoon by three thousand aggrieved
citizens. As Chris Todd quipped; “How can anyone take it away? It has
been crafted by nature, built by the people, explained by a dean and
blessed by a bishop. It is a true work of public art.”
The evening will begin with a brief synopsis of the book followed by
an audience-driven discussion on the topics of:
– art as a political tool
– The tragedy of the commons
– Law and pragmatism
– Economy and the environment
Chair/moderator Jo Kane
Please bring a question with you, and a biscuit in your pocket.
diary cows in Silversream Spring Creek photo Peter Langlands