The Very First Year

The Very First Year
July 27, noon-10pm

Since Eyebeam's founding 16 years ago, this is the very first year that its roster of Fellows, Residents, and Honorary Fellows includes a greater number of women than men.

The Very First Year is an all day public event on July 27, 2013 in consideration of this fact, organized by current Fellow Laurel Ptak and inspired by her ongoing research at Eyebeam into cyberfeminist art practices since the 1990s.

Join us Saturday, July 27 for the inaugural event, exploring aspects of gender, feminism, technology and art.

Featuring afternoon installations and activities by Feminist Economics Department (the FED), Miki Foster, Jen Kennedy + Liz Linden, Queer Technologies, Cassie Thornton, and Caroline Woolard, and an evening potluck dinner with presentations of current work by numerous female Eyebeam Alumnae.

The full schedule includes:

12pm: installations on view, coffee served, newspapers for reading

Installations on view all day will include: a Cyberfeminst Reading Room; a selection of Queer Technologies’ products including ENgenderingGenderChangers, a “solution” to Gender Adapters’ male/female binary and more; artist-made furniture designed at Eyebeam by Caroline Woolard.

1-2:30pm: New York Times Feminist Reading Group

A reading group dedicated to Saturday, July 27th’s edition of The New York Times from a feminist perspective. Participants are welcome to join regardless of whether they have read, skimmed, or even just glanced at that day's paper. The discussion begins informally with whatever news item or question participants first raise, and ranges widely from investigations of specific articles or images, to editorial choices and ad placements, to the larger questions of the business of newspapers, the migration of news into digital formats, and the future of media in general. Hosted by Liz Linden and Jen Kennedy. Questions? Email [email protected]

3-4:30pm: Feminist Reproduction 3D Printing Workshop

A workshop on the fundamentals of how to use the MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer, focused on its feminist potential. Miki Foster will teach the basics of 3D printing while the Feminist Economics Department (the FED) leads the production of an object with extremely high, yet completely non-monetary value. Attendees will learn about and participate in 3D printing as well as help produce the first 3D prototype of a feminist financial instrument and a new logic of value.

5pm: drinks and appetizers served, personalized 3D printing tutorials

Try your own hand at 3D printing on the MakerBot, Miki Foster will guide you through the process of printing files specially-developed by the Feminist Economics Department (the FED). You’ll be able to keep what you print and tutorials will run throughout the evening—until the filament runs dry.

6-10pm: Potluck Dinner featuring presentations of current work by Eyebeam Alumnae

Join numerous current and past female Eyebeam fellows, residents and honorary fellows who will present their current work over an informal and lively potluck dinner. Appetizers and drinks are provided by Eyebeam and participants and audience are encouraged to bring a dish or desert to share with all.


Upcoming: The Very First Year events at Eyebeam will also take place on: Thursday August 15; Sunday October 20; Saturday November 9. All are free and open to the public. Full details will continue to be announced at: http://www.eyebeam.org/events/the-very-first-year