On Friday, from 7pm at Ghost Space, Johannesburg’s pioneering DJ incubator and safer space club night, P_ssy Party hosts the after party for the latest installation of the travelling exhibition and activation, Feminism Ya Mang, Feminism Yethu, Feminism Yani.
The event is hosted in collaboration with the exhibition curators, Lema Management, with support from the UCT Works of Art Collection, and Goethe Institute.
Ghost Space is a silent space, housed at 112 Loop Street, and for this particular event, P_ssy Party is hosted by radio platform “The Other Radio”.
P_ssy Party was founded in 2016, as an incubator for women and queer DJs in Johannesburg.
Rosie Parade and Phatstoki, two aspiring DJs frustrated with a lack of access and support, began by hosting regular club nights in Braamfontein.
The project grew to encompass regular DJ workshops (now being relaunched in June as the P_ssy Party Academy) and ongoing mentorship for women and queer people, in all aspects of nightlife and club culture.
“P_ssy Party presents a unique opportunity for women and queer people to get in touch with their sensuality, in a space that prioritises autonomy and consent, and poses the questions of how we can harness music and club culture, to create positive social change in our daily lives,” explained Rosie Parade.
House of le Cap is the ballroom house, founded by international dancer Kirven le Cap, who lost their life to a hate crime in 2020.
The children of the House of le Cap have kept Kirven’s legacy alive through their performances and the hosting of balls in Cape Town.
P_ssy Party and Lema Management are proud to invite House of le Cap for a performance on the theme of gender representation, speaking back to the content of the exhibition.
“We’re pleased to host DJ Teedo Love for a special set requested by Lema Management, which traces iconic South African women in music, from Miriam Makheba to Moonchild Sanelly. DJ Teedo Love is one of Johannesburg’s most respected DJs, with a reputation for her slick mixing and popular selections,” Parade said.
Phatstoki said: “A P_ssy Party, set from Cape Town’s own Hypoestes, is long overdue.
“Hypoestes came to our attention during lockdown for her shows on Hamshack Radio, and since then has steadily built a reputation as a versatile DJ, with a deep understanding of music history, especially black music and club music history.
“We’ve requested a femme-focused set and we’re excited to see what Hypoestes delivers.”
The exhibition includes a selection of images, artwork and installations by artists Jodi Bieber, Amy Ayanda, Teresa Firmino, Helena Uambembe, Kelly Johnson, Lulama “Wolf” Mlambo, Saaiqa, Santu Ramaisa, and Jabu Newman.
On Friday, from 1pm to 2pm, Ayanda, Johnson and Newman will be joined in public discussion, at CAS, by acclaimed drag performance artist Odidiva Mfenyana.
The exhibition opening will follow at 6pm.
On Saturday, the three Cape Town-based artists will lead exhibition walkabouts at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
Learning Feminisms is a regional project that was started by the Goethe-Institut Kigali, Rwanda.
Feminism Ya Mang, Yethu, Yani first opened at the Goethe-Institute Johannesburg a year ago, as part of the South African iteration of Learning Feminisms. It was conceptualised by Samantha Modisenyane and Masechaba Moloi, in collaboration with artists Danai Mupotsa, Motlatsi Khosi, and Lindiwe Mngxitama.
The programming for the exhibition was presented online to adapt to the Covid-19 restrictions on public gatherings.
After the Johannesburg showing, the exhibition travelled to the Polokwane Art Museum. From UCT, it will proceed to the North-West University campus.
“The exhibition is a reflection of the diversity of experiences and expressions in being women in spaces such as those represented in the exhibition images, artwork and installations,” the curators said.
“Notions of gender or queerness are not static and are constantly being challenged by a myriad lived experiences.
“By engaging with this complexity, the exhibition aims to celebrate the diversity of knowledge that contributes to our regional experience of feminisms,” said the curators.
The event is free, but attendees must RSVP through P_ssy Party’s Instagram, and priority of access will be given to women and queer people. Strict capacity regulations will be followed. Unfortunately the event is not wheelchair accessible.