Failed Future Bodies by Wednesday Kim, Dan Ortiz Leizman & Ian McDermott

Failed Future Bodies is an endurance duet and live sound performance by Wednesday Kim, Dan Ortiz Leizman and Ian McDermott. Two motion-captured performers attempt to maintain a shared posture of rest, positioned back-to-back as they use their bodies to imitate a chair. Their repeated collapses, labored breathing and physical strain become part of an evolving soundscape that reflects the difficulty of finding stability amid ecological and digital precarity.

The work combines live performance with projected digital doubles that mirror the performers’ movements before slipping, distorting and glitching. A Monobloc chair transformed into a string instrument and harmonica ball gags connected to pedalboards generate the performance’s sounds. The piece looks backward toward environmental collapse and forward toward post-human futures, asking what remains of human identity when data and plastic endure. Audience members may also be invited to play one of approximately 20 3D-printed ocarinas, contributing their breath to the soundscape; the number available may vary with audience size and venue capacity.

When: Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Showtime: 8:00 p.m.

Run time: Approximately 25 minutes

Tickets: Free

Admission: General admission

Lineup: Wednesday Kim, Dan Ortiz Leizman and Ian McDermott

Venue: Clarvit Courtyard, Parren J. Mitchell Art-Sociology Building, The Clarice at the University of Maryland

Livestream: No

Festival: Part of NextNOW Fest 2026, The Clarice’s multi-day festival of performances and other experiences by artists from around the country and the University of Maryland campus. The festival is open to the general public.

Accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible seating, size-inclusive seating, large-print programs, assisted-listening devices, adult- and child-friendly sensory packs, and quiet spaces are available upon request. ASL interpretation, audio description and captioning are available for select events or by patron request at least six weeks in advance.