"STATE OF THE LADY" AT IDIOM

Big things happening this week! I just published my first piece with Idiom about the word "lady" and its many cultural meanings, with nods to some of my favorite cultural critics & producers.

In her glorious versatility — or vagueness, depending on the way you look at it — the lady is alive and well in the cultural zeitgeist. From mainstream to feminist media, from rap lyrics to self-help books to women artists, the term lady has found a way to transcend generational meanings, and is constantly provoking new ones depending on context. And in tandem with post-postmodern feminist theory, every use of lady does depend on context.

Read more at Idiom and sign up to get it delivered straight to your inbox!

Additionally, I'm leaving for the UK on Monday, where I'll be for a month. More on that to come.

MARCH 2013 GUIDE TO NEW YORK

March in New York is full of incredible events, which is not unrelated to March being Women's History Month. As I'm headed to the UK for the month, I'll be ingesting culture elsewhere. I wanted to share all the goodness I'll be missing so that you can attend for me!

image via Sarah Lawrence College

Sarah Lawrence College Annual Women's History Month Conference ::: March 1 & 2

This year, SLC honors fallen women's historians Amy Swerdlow and Gerda Lerner, both former directors of the Women's History graduate program, in their annual conference, themed "Activism and Scholarship." Lerner is a cofounder of the program, the first of its kind, established in 1972. Full itinerary here.

Related: some of the work I've done with Sarah Lawrence, and a review I did of the 12th annual plenary panel.

image via Barnard

Barnard College Scholar & Feminist Conference: Utopia ::: March 1 & 2

Ah, the competing scholarly feminist conference! This one also sounds fantastic, with a focus on utopias that suits my interest in safer spaces: "Creating a space outside of what society makes available can be an act of survival in a culture that selectively grants and withholds the designation of full humanity." With panels ranging from prison abolition to food justice, "Utopia" promises to be innovative. Full itinerary here.

image via wolfbat

Wolfbat's Ark at House of Vans ::: March 9

Ultimate printmaker Dennis McNett (of Wolfbat Studio) has been posting some amazing imagery from past Wolfbat live events to his Instagram feed. One of New York's punk printmaking darlings, this event will probably include giant wolf heads and possibly, fire. So far, it is simply described as "An interactive performance of the Wolfbat tribe slaying the demons and storm surge sent by Hurricane Sandy."

RSVP on Facebook--but you must also RSVP by emailing rsvptovans@gmail.com for admission to this event.

Printed Matter Sandy Benefit with Live Auction ::: March 9

Pretty self-explanatory, but in case you were unawares: one of the best places to see and purchase book arts in New York is Printed Matter, Inc. Unfortunately, they were saddled with over $200,000 worth of damages during Hurricane Sandy. This is a live auction to benefit Printed Matter. Tickets available here.

image via Hyperallergic

The World's First Tumblr Art Symposium! ::: March 9

Tumblr and Hyperallergic have teamed up to bring you the world's first Tumblr art symposium, and it's hosted in our beloved borough of Brooklyn! The symposium will be part discussion and part exhibition, and registration is filling up quick. More info here.

image via A.I.R.

A.I.R. Gallery's 40th Birthday Party ::: March 19

The first "artist-run gallery for women" has just turned 40! Rescheduled due to Hurricane Sandy devastation, the party will coincide with the gallery's 40th anniversary exhibition. Stellar participants include Martha Wilson, Carolee Schneeman, and Ana Mendieta, plus attendees receive a commemorative poster by the Guerrilla Girls. More details and registration here.

Are you seeing a theme here? Yes, Hurricane Sandy relief is still needed. There are still people without heat, hot water, and homes. There are repairs to be made, mold to be removed, art projects to be restored.

I subscribe to the Hurricane Relief Resources list on Facebook which has pretty regular updates about ways to help. While there are less hubs, Occupy Sandy is still up and running.

Stay involved. Be a good neighbor. And enjoy your March.

"ON ZINES" AT POCKET UTOPIA TODAY

I'm out the door on my way to present "On Zines" at Pocket Utopia.

Join us at 191 Henry Street at 4pm today!

Read Sharon Butler's poster about it here.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

In honor of Galentine's Day, and also, Valentine's Day, here's a Valentine for my singletons. While I don't really have any Valentine's Day rituals, I do like to take time on February 14th to read this veritable single manifesto by Nikki Darling, a super talented music writer from LA. I've discovered it pairs well with a listening of Beyoncé's "Single Ladies," as well.

And if that's not enough, cue up the Valentine's Day mix I made for you last year, dear reader.