Concept

Recharting. Repositioning Tools.

"An installation inspired by Lotte Lenya and Nina Simone's adaptation of Kurt Weill's Pirate Jenny, fuels this body of work. Energized by a love of social movement, Pirate Jenny has developed out of needing personal inquiry within larger social questions" - OA "Cole" Cole (They/Themme & She/Hers)

Pirate Jenny (PJ) represents nomadism, mobility and the strength of the human spirit over trauma and displacement. PJ embodies the pirates and slaves, past and present colluding and surviving as fringe dwellers, rebels and outcasts. Time jumping radiowaves with her tools, PJ's body often disintegrates and reform during travels. Like PJ’s many reiterations, my work centers the capitalist multi-sectored service industry imprinted to my othered form, which continues to navigate political, personal and medical systems.

Pj's adventures parallel personal and systemic challenges inflicted on the larger queer, black, lesbian, gay, trans, poor, disabled, immigrant yet wholly resilient body. Her tools possess adaptive function; charting oppression and personal traumas while upholding care & justice. Redesigns from the Great Pause establish PJ's tools as dual-purposed - fighting narcissism & built to farm. They center care in art making and earthwork; striving to undo its unintended capitalist harm; providing critical means to rest, healing and joy.