The Cyborg Jillian Weise is hosting a first-of-its-kind internet event, “A Kim Deal Party,” this Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 a.m. (EST).
Weise describes “A Kim Deal Party” as a mix between a short film and performance art. On the surface, it’s a 20 minute, 20 seconds “video play” centered around fandom for American singer-songwriter Kim Deal, former member of alternative rock bands Pixies and the Breeders, featuring a cast that includes Eileen Myles, Patricia Lockwood, Mistress Snow, Canese Jarboe, A.D. Carson, and Alice Wong.
Beyond the surface, Weise says, the event will focus on disabled/Deaf viewers as the ideal audience.
“Right now, all media imagines non-disabled people as the ideal audience. I am flipping that,” said Weise, who describes herself as a “cyborg” having one computerized leg. “This is going to be a very important moment. It might not be right now or next year but it will be in 50 years.”
Weise says she will accomplish the “flip” by moving all the images to left of frame, so the Deaf ASL interpreter who typically is seen in a small box in one corner of the screen (you have seen this picture-in-picture of ASL interpretation, probably during rare political moments or weather emergencies) will have equality in the frame. “The Deaf ASL interpreter is not an add-on. She is not overlay. She is meant to be there. She is for the ideal audience: Deaf viewers,” said Weise.
“Secondly, the video prioritizes disabled and Deaf pleasure,” said Weise. “Sure, it is about Kim Deal, but it is also about changing the entire form of media to center disabled and Deaf pleasure. Kim Deal is a conduit. Why Kim Deal? Because she is cool, and disabled people are cool.”
Weise says she thinks disabled and non-disabled people alike will find the event entertaining.
“It is fun because it is a concert with cover songs and images of people at parties. It entirely reimagines what screens and media can do.”
The event is free and open to the public. It will stream from the website www.publicspaceone.com
More information can be found on Weise’s website: www.jillianweise.com
Images, courtesy of Jillian Weise.
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