September 08, 2021
Political activists ‘The Yes Men’ coming to SIU Carbondale next week
CARBONDALE, Ill. – “The Yes Men,” an internationally renowned social and political activist duo, will present a lecture Tuesday, Sept. 14 in Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Student Center Auditorium.
The duo of Jacques Servin and Igor Vamos use satire and prankster tactics to provide a collaborative effort to bring awareness to and expose problematic corporate and government issues. The presentation at 7 p.m. is open to the public and is the inaugural event for the School of Media Arts, which is part of the College of Arts and Media. SIU is committed to protecting the community, so all those attending the event must wear masks and follow current campus and state pandemic safety protocols.
Rob Spahr, School of Media Arts interim director, said that “bringing The Yes Men to the School of Media Arts and the College of Arts and Media is a great way to model for our students that individuals using media and art can create positive change in the world.”
While on campus before returning to New York on Sept. 15, the duo will also present two student workshops – one for 60 undergraduate students in the media arts program and a second for those students in the media arts’ Master of Fine Arts program.
The workshops engage students to discuss business ethics and social awareness in hopes of building a better society, Spahr said.
“Through their activism, ‘The Yes Men’ push back against corporate control resulting in an awareness of how we treat our planet and each other,” he said. “I am hopeful this encounter will encourage our students to take the lead in issues of justice, environment, and fairness.”
Spahr added that the School of Media Arts is “thrilled to provide students the opportunity to experience this anti-corporate duo who provides explosive insight into the power of media, how it makes a difference and how it can be used for change.”