As we prepare for SUBSTANCE our next exhibition of Involuntary Painting, Sculpture, Music in México City I urge all to consider what’s happening beyond the image, beyond the photograph out in the gallery of the street.

We have to be careful to not fall into the trap of venerating a kind of poverty porn .. the beauty of shit.. shit is shit.. a rundown building is just that. We can become accustomed to the crap that surrounds us including the way that society allows our towns and communities to become derelict, that life expectancies are actually now declining in poor communities. We can get used to these things .. we attenuate them out of sight out of hearing.

THE INVOLUNTARY INTERNATIONAL says stop and really look at the overlooked. Don’t just photograph it. We must think about what we might do to change things for the better. No not through the regeneration of buildings and neighbourhoods for the already rich, the social cleansing model but with and for the communities that already live in that place this place their place..

LONG LIVE THE INVOLUNTARY INTERNATIONAL!

Paul Conneally
February 25th 2020

The Involuntary International is a movement founded by Paul Conneally (UK), Millree Hughes (US) and Aldo Flores (Mex)