St Clarens Avenue Garbage still life with restless Vine People

Vine People are ambassadors for green action: helping where needed. Some say they are super-heroes, others troublemakers. In a recent misadventure with poison ivy they broadcast, “Vine people are not terrorists”.

VINE PEOPLE ARE NOT TERRORISTS
News reports claim my actions are that of an environmental terrorist organization: that we have unleashed a harmful toxin in the halls of power throughout the North America. Countless victims are suffering chemical burns after opening a card with figures that are of half human, half vine. They allege the Vine People are saturated with a toxic substance causing blisters, extreme discomfort and may be deadly. Some claim its anthrax all over again.
I did make and send the Vine People cards. I sent them to people that flaunted extreme environmental negligence. Some went to politicians, others to developers and CEO’s of dirty industry.
I sent the cards as an AWARD OF BAD FAITH.
I am not a terrorist. I don’t belong to any terrorist organization. I had no intention to set off this international panic. I’m as artist and the Vine People are an art project – intended as ambassadors for green action.
The cards were printed with poison ivy. I thought a blister or two would appear on the hands of people that needed encouragement to rethink their attitude. Poison ivy is more effective than imagined. The blisters are highly contagious and will spread wherever they touch but this is not deadly or even serious and the blisters will clear up in a few weeks if not scratched.
My sincerest apology for the terrible misunderstanding my project has unleashed.
I hope attention will be refocused away from this misadventure and back where it was intended - to the heads of North America government and industry with encouragement to lead responsibly.

Vine People are ambassadors for green action: focusing attention where needed.

Sites 2007

Bloor and Lansdowne
Vine People mark the corner of Lansdowne and Bloor, where, in one month, 94 drug dealers were charged with selling crack.
The dealers had past convictions totaling 1467 charges from previously selling drugs in the same area.

TTC Lands on Lansdowne
Vine People watch over toxic brown fields being readied for redevelopment.
They call for a mandate of better planning and green architecture unlike neighbouring, gated-community developments that have been recently constructed.

1011 Lansdowne
The Vine People reshape as wreaths and are placed where a young woman, named Precious, jumped from the seventh floor widow of 1011 Lansdowne during a police raid. Noted as one of the ten
worst buildings in Toronto, 1011 Lansdowne continues to place more calls for help to the police, the fire department and City Hall than all other building in the ward.

Lappin Avenue
The Vine People act as reminders of what is missing on treeless streets.

Vine People Poster
This Vine People card has not been printed in Poison Ivy and has not been sent to heads of negligent government and industry throughout North America. 

St Clarens Avenue
Garbage still life with restless Vine People

Vine People are a Dyan Marie Project. Vine People mark sites of concerns, in public spaces, that need attention. Vine people are based on indigenous trees, plants and four species of vines:
Bittersweet, Virginia Creeper, Virgin's Bower and Poison Ivy, found on walks in the local neighbourhood.

Appreciation to:
David Aitken, Richard Rhodes, Stephen Marie-Rhodes, Matthew Marie-Rhodes, DIG IN, CONC and the Dupont | Lansdowne | Bloor community.

Spot Culture Information: www.greenspots.info   www.spotculture.info www.dyanmarie.com