In the fall of 2018 I developed and taught a course funded by a Georgia Tech Research Faculty Teaching Fellowship entitled Wearable Technology and Society for the School of Literature, Media, and Communication (LMC 4813). In the course students read and researched a number of topics pertaining to wearable technology, including fashion trending, social acceptability, and human factors. Project materials and support were funded by an Institute for People and Technology / GVU Center Engagement Grant.
As the main project in the course the students formed groups and worked with performance artist collaborators on developing an interactive technology enhanced performance garment. Two of the three groups worked with Atlanta based Drag Queens Edie Cheezburger and Jaye Lish.
Drag Duality is a project by Elise Morton, Simrun Mannan, Kathleen Tynan, and Eva Christensen in collaboration with Drag Queen Jaye Lish. The dress and headpiece put on a light show, but the audience gets to decide which song and performance (and thus which light display) they see. The audience uses a web application to vote and the dress reacts accordingly. Imagine watching a drag show and the performer switching between songs and colors like princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty.
La Mandragora is a project by Chloe Choi, Jordan Eggleston and Paige Greenfield in collaboration with Drag Queen Edie Cheezburger. The headpiece adorned with flowers is light sensitive. So as the spotlight hits Edie Cheezburger the flowers bloom. As La Mandragora enters the dark tendrils unfurling lighting the face.
When you’re required to work with someone closely, you must get to know them if you want the project to be successful. Stripped down from all cultural differences, our group and Jaye Lish are people who enjoy similar things and can talk about music, movies, fashion etc. Working with people from different backgrounds is important and really allows you to know someone for more than just their cultural difference, but it also allows you to understand them and their culture a bit more, which is valuable to all parties involved.
Drag Duality Group Member
Edie Cheezburger and Jaye Lish perform weekly at “The Other Show” in Atlanta GA, at Midtown Moon. Work posted with student permission.
