The Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) candidates at Brooklyn College’s Art and Performance & Interactive Media Arts (PIMA) have created a collaborative work. In doing so they have declared a temporary independent micronation, which will be on view on December 12th in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

This micronation has dual goals: first, to integrate art into all aspects of daily life, and second, to achieve statehood. In other words: all functions of the state are opportunities for artistic expression.

So what is a micronation and what exactly are these graduate students up to?

According to the group’s press release: “Micronations have a strong place in global history. Some are theoretical experiments in statehood, some are born out of frustration or discontent, while others are played for laughs: enormous, time consuming, intricate jokes, usually made at the creator’s own expense.

The following are examples of micronation trailblazers:

–Prince Leonard’s Hutt River Province (which seceded from Australia in 1970),

–the infamous Sealand (perched on a crumbling former anti-aircraft tower in
Britain’s North Sea).

–Westarctica (recipient of five Norton Awards for Micronational Excellence)

–The Kingdom of North Dumpling Island (which signed a nonaggression, mutual-defense pact with then-president George Bush Sr. in 1992).

Frankly, I don’t know much about micronations but I’m intrigued. Brooklyn College MFA micronation will be housed at Marian Spore: 55 33rd Street on the fourth Floor, Industry City (Sunset Park), Brooklyn. The micronation will only be open for visits on Sunday, December 12, from 4 – 6 PM. Admission price is the donation of a canned good, or the presentation of a gift.

Intrigued? Then you should go see what this is all about.