Search results

In 2009, Clarke undertook a residency at LOKAAL 01, Antwerp entitled 'Cannon Happy' where he researched the role of humour in contemporary protest marches. His findings led him to focus on the function of latex character masks that are frequently worn by protesters worldwide. During the residency he created 35, six-sheet posters that contained images of squashed and scanned masks collected during his stay. These ideas were then developed further in Heads of State, a solo show that extended his research into the context of painting and sculpture by making singular works using experimental reprographic and casting techniques. Every acquired mask was turned inside out, casted with plaster on to a scaffold pole and painted with industrial paint. When discussed in a lecture at London Metropolitan University Clarke insisted this was not sculpture, but instead a reprographic process that was located within an alternative printmaking practice referencing political propaganda. Clarke proposed to continue to develop this work for the Whitechapel Gallery's 'London Open 2012'. The resulting new installation of 'Heads of State' consisted of 30 busts installed in the main gallery. Clarke was invited by the Whitechapel to lead two educational workshops in relation to work in the exhibition, in the first, a ton of play pit sand was brought into the gallery and the artist encouraged children to cast found objects in sand. For the second, Clarke instructed teenagers on how to research political figures and facilitated the creation of a political puppet show. He used his installation to help participants discover legacies of leading political figures.

Since 1990, 65 former heads of state or government have been legitimately prosecuted for serious human rights or financial crimes. Many of these leaders were brought to trial in reasonably free and fair judicial processes, and some served time in prison as a result. This book explores the reasons for the meteoric rise in trials of senior leaders and the motivations, public dramas, and intrigues that accompanied efforts to bring them to justice. Drawing on an analysis of the 65 cases, the book examines the emergence of regional trends in Europe and Latin America and contains case studies of high-profile trials of former government leaders: Augusto Pinochet (Chile), Alberto Fujimori (Peru), Slobodan Milosevic (former Yugoslavia), Charles Taylor (Liberia and Sierra Leone), and Saddam Hussein (Iraq) – studies written by experts who closely followed their cases and their impacts on wider societies. This is the only book that examines the rise in the number of domestic and international trials globally and tells the tales in readable prose and with fascinating details

A critical comment on a 2000 seminar, "Republicanising the Australian Head of State," which focused on Richard E. McGarvie's Democracy: Choosing Australia's Republic (1999), defends the model advanced in the book as the best way to preserve democracy in a federal republic. Details of the model are reiterated, & it is argued that alternative models proposed by John Power & Kim Rubenstein are not as viable. Power suggests adding a directly elected president to the current leadership arrangement while Rubenstein advocates affirmative provisions that would assure that at least every second head of state be a woman. It is noted that the McGarvie model functions well without the additional office of president; has already produced two excellent women governors; & includes a temporary provision that assures female representation on a Constitutional Council. The introduction of an affirmative action provision to the Constitution would limit a prime minister's choice of a Governor-General. Suggestions are made for ways to resolve the republic issue by a referendum vote. J. Lindroth

In 2009, Clarke undertook a residency at LOKAAL 01, Antwerp entitled Cannon Happy where he researched the role of humour in contemporary protest marches. His findings led him to focus on the function of latex character masks that are frequently worn by protesters worldwide. During the residency he created 35, six-sheet posters that contained images of squashed and scanned masks collected during his stay. These ideas were developed further in a solo show at Kusseneers Gallery, Antwerp, 2010. In Heads of State Clarke extended his research into the context of painting and sculpture by making singular works using experimental reprographic and casting techniques. Every acquired mask was turned inside out, casted with plaster on to a scaffold pole and painted with industrial paint. When discussed in a lecture at the London Metropolitan University; Clarke insisted this was not sculpture, but instead a reprographic process that was located within an alternative printmaking practice referencing political propaganda. Clarke proposed to continue to develop this work for the Whitechapel Gallery's London Open 2012. Clarke was one of only 35 artists selected for the exhibition out of around 1800 submissions. The resulting new installation of Heads of State consisted of 30 busts and was installed prominently in the main gallery. Reviews included The Financial Times, The Guardian, Art Monthly and Reuters. Approximately 64,000 people visited the exhibition. Clarke was invited by the Whitechapel to lead two educational workshops in relation to work in the exhibition, in the first, a ton of play pit sand was brought into the gallery and the artist encouraged children to cast found objects in sand. For the second, Clarke instructed teenagers on how to research political figures and facilitated the creation of a political puppet show. He used his installation to help participants discover legacies of leading political figures.