University Open Air: Wearable Literature Workshop: Writing on Wigs and Tiny Book Necklaces
Text is the essence of the textile. The fabric of our very being; Our new skin. Humans express or disguise their identity, and their feelings, through what they wear. This is a workshop that blends fashion materials and literature: experiments of crafting tiny book necklaces and subcultural wig poetry pieces.
You are what you are wearing. Wear your anger, your desire, your secrets, your longings, inside out, until they are weary. From wigs that voice your feminist stance, political views, subcultural manifesto, or even the subtle whispers of nature, to the miniature booklet that harbors your most cherished memories or confessions - be it tales of small-town life, silent pangs of jealousy, earnest marriage proposals, or verses you'd love to keep close t to your heart.
Together, we will dive deep into selected passages from literary gems, including works by Robert Walser, Edmond Jabès, Anne Carsons, and others. Feel the lace and tailoring between the vast and the minute, the public and the intimate.
By the end of the class, each participant will leave with a tiny book necklace and a clip-in wig piece, both imbued with the text-tile they created, a tactile testament to their emotional tapestry.
*Materials will be provided.
Jiaoyang Li is a poet and interdisciplinary artist based in New York City. Jiaoyang co-founded the Accent Sisters Speakeasy Bookstore Gallery (Instagram: @accentsisters) and Accent Society, an online creative writing education platform that promotes writing across languages and mediums. Her work has been showcased/performed at New York Live Arts Center, Here Art Center, New Ohio Theatre, Chashama Gallery, Mana Contemporary, the Immigration Artist Biennial, Performa Biennial, Whitman’s Birthplace Museum, Life Magazine, Gulf Coast, LA Review of Books, and elsewhere. Jiaoyang has received grants and support from PEN America, New York Foundation for the Arts, British Council, Foundation for the Contemporary Arts, among others. Jiaoyang is interested in intersecting poetry with fashion, audiovisual installations, and performance art.
*In cases of rain, classes will be either moved to the Prospect Park Boathouse or canceled. Registered patrons will be notified by email on the morning of each course day and are also encouraged to check the UOA webpage and BPL Presents’ Facebook and Twitter pages for updates.
University Open Air is generously supported by The Morris & Alma Schapiro Fund.
101 East Drive
Brooklyn, NY 11225
Text is the essence of the textile. The fabric of our very being; Our new skin. Humans express or disguise their identity, and their feelings, through what they wear. This is a workshop that blends fashion materials and literature: experiments of crafting tiny book necklaces and subcultural wig poetry pieces.
You are what you are wearing. Wear your anger, your desire, your secrets, your longings, inside out, until they are weary. From wigs that voice your feminist stance, political views, subcultural manifesto, or even the subtle whispers of nature, to the miniature booklet that harbors your most cherished memories or confessions - be it tales of small-town life, silent pangs of jealousy, earnest marriage proposals, or verses you'd love to keep close t to your heart.
Together, we will dive deep into selected passages from literary gems, including works by Robert Walser, Edmond Jabès, Anne Carsons, and others. Feel the lace and tailoring between the vast and the minute, the public and the intimate.
By the end of the class, each participant will leave with a tiny book necklace and a clip-in wig piece, both imbued with the text-tile they created, a tactile testament to their emotional tapestry.
*Materials will be provided.
Brooklyn Public Library - Central Library MM/DD/YYYY 60