Governor Newsom,
Picture this: The dead of night, the city a sprawling organism of restless whispers and flickering lights. Each street, each alleyway hums with the residual energy of the day’s chaos—a chaos that never truly sleeps. This is the world I navigate, the world I fight to reclaim from the clutches of corruption and neglect.
I am Arik Seidenglanz, born into the whirlwind of October 7th, a date etched with significance, intersecting with the lives of legends and the scars of conflicts. I attended art schools for longer than most, spanning from 2000 to 2015, and received my important degree in 2009. I have been banned or wrongfully cast out from all the schools I loved, including the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) and Taliesin West, where my journey as a Creative Director and Art Director at American Apparel was cut short by a hostile takeover just as I took on my role. These disruptions silenced my voice and my potential to make significant contributions through these institutions.
Karma was bittersweet when SFAI and Taliesin West evaporated, mirroring the abrupt end of my career at American Apparel. Despite these setbacks, I found my calling as the Director of the Seahorse Liberation Army.fr and the Minister of Disinformation at Treats Super Mobile Disco, which I consider my greatest societal contributions. These roles align with my identity within the Situationist continuum, creating a body of seamless actions that define my life in a Fluxus pedigree. Where I once labeled myself a conceptual artist, I now simply call myself an Artist. I direct art films, act, write, produce, score, fund, edit, cast, film, shoot, process, imagine, and dream. Sometimes I succeed, and sometimes I fail. But today, I am the most relevant artist I know who hasn’t needed a gallery since the early 2000s. My last two major projects, which I consider a battle of good versus evil, include my efforts with the Consulate of Catalonia in Los Angeles and the Harwell Hamilton Harris Fellowship at Parkways Conservancy Inc.
This battle was against the corrupt city of Los Angeles and individuals like Ken Cheney, Shapiro, Richard Jud Williams, Joshua Marcuson, Steve Snyder, about 67 Doe’s, and 6 or so judges, with a particular focus on the malevolent Judge George F. Bird Jr. Crook. Navigating the vast ocean of our digital and physical realities, I stand as a catalyst for change, an experimental machine with a heart still intact despite the whirlwinds of fortune and misfortune. My essence is not of an ego monster but that of a fortunate experimenter, a high-flying experimental machine whose journey through the tumultuous skies of creativity, technology, and societal critique has been both a trial and a testament to resilience.
In the complex web of life, where each subtle tweak in the fabric of existence can lead to a thousand unseen changes, I find my purpose. It is in the mapping of these changes, tracing their connections with strings across a theoretical map, seeking out the feedback loops with the greatest leverage, that my work gains meaning. These points of influence, whether they disrupt for the sake of disruption or scale for essential growth, are where I thrive, listening intently to the echoes of their impact.
My mission is to harness these leverage points, to scale up the disruptors that promise the most significant transformation. Would I still listen, you ask, amidst this grand orchestration of change? The answer is a resounding yes. For it is in the listening, in the understanding, and the application of these insights, that the true art of change is mastered. My work, a dance on the edge of innovation and tradition, seeks not just to challenge the status quo but to redefine it entirely. Welcome to a space where every action, every decision, is a thread in the larger tapestry of transformation. Here, we leverage the vast and intricate feedback loops of life, aiming for a future that embraces the full spectrum of human experience and potential. Together, let's embark on this journey of discovery, leveraging the power of disruption and scale to forge new paths and redefine what's possible.
Governor, the heart of my plea lies in the essence of integrity and transformation. Picture this: A permit, a simple piece of paper, becomes a weapon in the hands of the corrupt. In February, a 48,000-square-foot rooftop bar at the La Grande building slipped through the cracks of due process, manipulated by those who wield power without accountability. This wasn’t just an oversight; it was a deliberate act of deceit, a betrayal of the public trust. My team and I, through relentless research and innovative software, have unearthed over 6,000 pages of evidence that unravel this web of corruption.
Abundant Blessing, the vendor tasked with supporting our community, has utterly failed us. They promised food under duress, presenting a menu that was nothing but lies. There is no menu, no plan—just a systematic stripping away of our nutrition, leaving us weak and hostage to the grueling task of securing basic sustenance. Consider Tanya, who begged for death due to her suffering from lupus and was left stranded without her wheelchair battery by the Salvation Army. She was dragged outside to socialize and left in the sun for weeks. Then there is the senior resident whose gate is just one foot wide, taking her hours to get to the bus stop. This is our reality—a nightmare under the guise of care.
In the face of this, I’ve developed software leveraging Benford’s Law to identify mortgage payment schemes, ensuring effective and honest operations. This tool, fortified with blockchain technology, could revolutionize transparency and accountability, yet it languishes due to bureaucratic resistance.
Governor Newsom, I am more than a voice in the wilderness. I am an artist, director, creator—an avant-garde force against corruption. My battles against figures like Ken Cheney, Shapiro, Richard Jud Williams, Joshua Marcuson, Steve Snyder, and Judge George F. Bird Jr. are not just personal but pivotal for our community’s future.
I urge you to initiate an investigation into the corrupt practices of the Los Angeles City Council and Abundant Blessing. Reinstating our long-term housing is a plea for dignity. Halt the illegal permits and consider the adoption of my anti-corruption software. This isn’t just about me—it’s about a systemic overhaul for justice and transparency.
Governor, as a last resort to make my voice heard, I have begun a hunger strike. This drastic measure underscores the severity of our plight and the negligence we face. Abundant Blessing, upon hearing my first complaint, attempted to bribe me with $100 in food stamps—a clear violation of trust and integrity. This is the line I walk, knowing that only through unwavering good faith can we hope to restore justice.
My wife, now schizophrenic, and I, embedded in prolonged grief disorder, are examples of the profound human toll of this systemic failure. Yet, I stand as a hero in our arc, emerging from the depths with the resolve to right these wrongs. You have the power to return our home, as you did for another wronged family, to correct this injustice.
Let’s meet, Governor. Let’s discuss the evidence, the systemic failures, and the innovative solutions. Together, we can weave a narrative of transformation, leveraging disruption and scale to forge new paths and redefine what’s possible.
In the heart of this relentless city, amidst the chaos and the whispers, lies the potential for profound change. I stand ready to collaborate, to fight, and to reclaim our community’s integrity. Join me in this journey of discovery and justice.
Sincerely,
Arik Seidenglanz Founder and Director Harwell Hamilton Harris Fellowship Parkway Conservancy Inc. Phone: 415-685-3289 Email: arikseiden@gmail.comSecondary Email: arikse@proton.meFormer Address: 1410 Ewing St, Los Angeles, CA 90026
P.S. On a personal note, I am being recommended for a teaching position at the Art Center College of Design to teach Situationist Performance Art and Action Activism. This role would enable me to further influence and inspire the next generation of artists and activists. Your support in addressing these systemic issues would be immensely impactful not just for me, but for the broader community we both serve.
Navigating the vast realities of government corruption is akin to charting a course through a stormy sea. My battles against figures like Ken Howard Shapiro, his daughter Cheney, and her husband reveal a labyrinth of deceit. These individuals, alongside Joshua Marcuson, have manipulated bankruptcy laws and engaged in fraudulent schemes to avoid debts, leveraging PPP loans and exploiting loopholes. Their actions, supported by complicit lenders like LMF 2 LP, have wreaked havoc on countless lives, including mine.
Ken Shapiro and his daughter Cheney, often interchange emails to perpetuate their deceit, masking assets and evading accountability. Joshua Marcuson, a straw buyer, utilized a defunct, unlicensed arborist company to secure PPP loans fraudulently. Their operations are intricate, involving illegal property sales, fraudulent permits, and systematic harassment to devalue properties and force sales at reduced prices. Their tactics include false complaints, break-ins, and violence, reminiscent of Scientology's suppressive party tactics.
This is more than a personal vendetta; it’s a fight against a systemic cancer that undermines the integrity of our society. My software, fortified with Benford's Law and blockchain technology, offers a beacon of transparency and accountability, yet it faces bureaucratic inertia. Governor, I implore you to investigate these corrupt practices, halt illegal permits, and adopt my anti-corruption software.
In this relentless battle, my wife, now seeking refuge in a nunnery due to the trauma inflicted upon us, and I, barely holding on at 125 pounds, embody the human cost of systemic failure. Our story is one of resilience,