Exhibit ‘The People’s United Nations’ to tackle world issues
Artist Pedro Reyes created his theater-inspired art, the second General Assembly of “The People’s United Nations,” or “pUN,” which will gather 160 people of different backgrounds to discuss world issues. (Lisa O’Brien/Daily Bruin)
By Daily Bruin Staff
May 1, 2015 12:51 a.m.
Pedro Reyes’ paintbrush doesn’t lay down strokes of color. Instead, the Mexican artist’s paintbrush adds an element of theater to his artworks.
His project, the second General Assembly of “The People’s United Nations,” or “pUN,” is an experimental symposium that incorporates theatrical aspects.
The project applies techniques and resources from social psychology, theater, art and conflict resolution to geopolitics. Taking place Saturday and Sunday, the gathering will join together 160 people of different ethnic backgrounds and professions based in the Los Angeles area in an effort to use theater technique to resolve world issues, such as global warming.
“Unlike the real United Nations, where delegates are appointed by states and are career diplomats, the ‘pUN’ offers a diverse and interdisciplinary approach unrestricted by the protocols of diplomacy,” Reyes said.
Reyes said a 2013 Gallup poll indicates that citizens of countries around the world feel increasingly powerless in today’s political climate, as fewer people trust their governments.
“Given this statistic’s stark reality, perhaps it is time to consider alternatives to our standard political and diplomatic processes,” Reyes said.
Reyes said his mentality in the “pUN” project derives from the idea that because the United Nations is the standard for humanitarian efforts to sustain peace internationally, ordinary people may be better at solving issues that directly affect them. The issues addressed at the event will vary from the 43 students that went missing in Mexico to the effects of global warming.
Fourth-year English student Fanny Garcia said she will participate in “pUN” to reconnect with her home country, Honduras.
“I want to participate in discussions with other delegates involving the recent immigrant problems that personally affect me in an open environment,” Garcia said.
Although the project tackles serious issues, Reyes said “pUN” adds lighter elements as well. It acts as a role-playing game where the “delegates” will speak for themselves and their country without the need to mirror any actual stances by their national government.
“It’s the light spirit of play lacking in the United Nations that helps break down social barriers,” said Carolina Guillermet, a visual artist and independent researcher at the Hammer Museum, who teamed up with Reyes as the curatorial project consultant for “pUN.”
Guillermet said the theater elements are what make “pUN” effective. The art performance is an experiment to see how humor and interaction between ordinary people affect the political atmosphere. The performances are not scripted, as delegates participate in the situations dictated by Reyes.
“We believe in play as a necessary ingredient for free expression and creativity,” Reyes stated in his address to the delegates. “Solutions depend on imagination.”
Guillermet said it is important for UCLA students to attend and interact with their community.
“It is a fitting special social experiment, one that encompasses performance and art, and unifies people from different backgrounds,” Guillermet said. “Everyone returns to the real world a bit more enlightened than when they left it.“
