Department of Women's Studies at Ohio State University to present a series
of lectures, readings, workshops and concerts in the virtual world Second
Life, designed to foster community, activism, personal creativity and a
spirit of inquiry, with the goal of encouraging women and girls to explore
new frontiers in technology.
The AAUW October talk will be given by Gracie Kendal. Gracie is an avatar in
Second Life who will speak on her complicated relationship with Kristine
Schomaker, the person who animates her. Kristine is a new media artist whose
recent project, 'My Life as an Avatar' describes the difficult dialogues
that can be provoked by the human/avatar relationship. Gracie and Kristine's
project is described here: http://youtu.be/CrLItEtAj3g
In following months we'll have a concert in support of the 16 Days of
Activism against Gender Violence, a talk on the women of Palestine and
Israel and, in December, workshops on avatar formation. More information on
these events is below. If you'd like help in learning how to navigate our
virtual space, or if you'd like to bring a group, please contact Ellie
Brewster in Second Life, or e-mail Dr. Sharon Collingwood
(collingwood.7@osu.edu)
All events are held on Minerva, the online teaching and research space of
the Department of Women?s Gender and Sexuality Studies at The Ohio State
University. Instructions on how to access our site are on our events page:
http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/collingwood7/minerva/events.html
SCHEDULE
Saturday October 15: Gracie Kendal (Kristine Schomaker), new media artist
11am U.S. Pacific Time (2pm Eastern, 7pm GMT)
Come an hour early if you'd like instruction on how to use Second Life.
KRISTINE SCHOMAKER: also known as Gracie Kendal, is a Los Angeles based new
media and performance artist, painter and art historian. She received her BA
in Art History and her MA in Studio Art from California State University at
Northridge. For over 13 years, she has been experimenting with various
interdisciplinary art forms including using online virtual worlds and social
networking technologies to connect with international audiences and local
arts communities. Gracie's current work explores notions of online identity,
specifically the construction of Avatars. Her work as a whole stands as an
allegory of the relationship between appearance and identity, illusion,
belief and reality. Two projects she is presently working on include, 'My
Life as an Avatar: The Gracie Kendal project' and '1000 Avatars' a
contemporary anthropology of portraits of avatars in the virtual world of
Second Life.
Gracie Kendall's blog:
http://graciekendal.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/mermaids-vs-whales/
Sunday November 27: Concert in Support of the 16 days.
11am U.S. Pacific Time (2pm Eastern, 7pm GMT)
Come an hour early if you?d like instruction on how to use Second Life.
This will be the third year that events have been held in Second Life to
support the Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, an
international campaign originating from the first Women's Global Leadership
Institute. Events take place from November 25 to December 10.
http://www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/16days/home.html
Last year Kate Miranda organized a concert of live music on MInerva. It was
a great way to get together, you can see a video clip of the concert here:
http://youtu.be/E-a6zGbLrQQ
The concert was so popular we decided to make it a yearly event; Kate is
working on a whole new program, which will be announced in the next
newsletter. Come and listen, socialize, and explore the exhibits!
Learn about other Second Life concerts on Kate's blog:
http://music-island.blogspot.com/
Sunday, December 4: Alexjo Magic speaking on the Women of Palestine and
Israel
11am U.S. Pacific Time (2pm Eastern, 7pm GMT)
Come an hour early if you?d like instruction on how to use Second Life.
Alexjo Magic is a member of the Coalition of Women for Peace, an
organization that brings together independent women and 10 feminist peace
organizations who work relentlessly for peace and justice. Her talk will be
on how overt and institutional violence affects the lives of Palestinian and
Israeli women from her perspective as a Jewish Israeli lesbian feminist
human rights activist.
_______________
