Thailand 2003
1 minute / Digital, 4:3, Silent / Colour
Director / Camera / Editor: Apichatpong Weerasethakul

This and a Million More Lights is one of several one-minute artists’ videos made for the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s 46664: Give 1 Minute of Art to AIDS campaign. Among the contributing artists were A K Dolven, Alfredo Jaar, Berni Searle, Bill Viola, David Krippendorff, Matali Crasset, Matthew Barney, Santeri Tuori, Seydou Keita, Tere Recarens and William Kentridge. Premiered at the “46664” Concert, Cape Town, South Africa, 29 November 2003.


A strobing fluorescent light inter-cuts scenes from an urban swimming pool; a young boy tempts the water.




46664
GIVE 1 MINUTE OF YOUR LIFE TO AIDS

“A tragedy of unprecedented proportions is unfolding in Africa. Aids today in Africa is claiming more lives than the sum total of all wars, famines and floods and the ravages of such deadly diseases as Malaria.”

“ We must act now for the sake of the world”
Nelson Mandela

Aids is no longer a disease it is a human rights issue

46664 (four, double six, six four) takes its name from the prison number (prisoner number 466 of 1964) given to Mr Mandela when he was incarcerated for life on Robben Island, off Cape Town, South Africa. Mr Mandela gave his prison number to the organisation as a permanent reminder of the sacrifices he was prepared to make for a humanitarian and social justice cause he passionately believed in.

In creating 46664 initially as a global HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention campaign, Mr Mandela realised that to reach the youth all over the world specifically, he needed to engage the support of the people who most appeal to them. This has been seen most visibly through the high-profile 46664 concerts of the past few years and the appointment of 46664 ambassadors.

Although these activities remain an important part of its approach, 46664 has revisited its social mobilisation model in recent years. There is now a strong emphasis on the role individuals can play in taking forward Mr Mandela’s humanitarian legacy through activities and projects like Nelson Mandela Day which encourages individuals worldwide to make good on Mr Mandela’s challenge at the 46664 London concert in 2008 for his work to continue and that “new hands be found to lift the burden”.

In addition, 46664 has expanded its focus from being a global HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention campaign into encompassing all areas of Mr Mandela’s humanitarian legacy as well as confronting issues of social injustice.

In moving ahead with this expanded focus, 46664 has partnered with carefully selected commercial and social profit entities to ensure the organisation doesn’t only depend on philanthropy alone but becomes a sustainable fundraising vehicle too. Among the projects that contribute to this are the Official 46664 Bangle, the 46664 Vodacom Starter Pack and now 46664 Apparel.

46664 was established in 2002 as an independent, not-for-profit organisation.


http://www.46664.com/