Christine Sun Kim's 'Deaf Material' Book Explores Deaf Culture with Humor

Christine Sun Kim, an American artist known for her drawings, performances, videos, and large-scale murals, has released her first artist book, 'Deaf Material', published by Primary Information. The 400-page volume presents over 600 images from her personal archive, including photographs and depictions of deaf imagery from mainstream culture, each captioned with critical and humorous anecdotes, histories, and commentaries. Kim uses humor as a tool to make the subject of deafness accessible to broader audiences, comparing it to memes that circulate widely when they are funny. The book is divided into 24 categories, such as Captions, Subtitles, Ability, Airports, and Celebrity ASL, offering insights into her personal experiences and Deaf culture. In sections like Captions and Subtitles, she highlights gaps in how the hearing world perceives sound and deafness, including the history of closed captioning. In Celebrity ASL and ILY, she critiques the commercialization of the ASL sign for 'ILY', noting its global spread while deaf people still lack equal access to education and employment. Kim also expresses anxiety about the future of the Deaf community, citing eugenics and weakening disability laws, but sees the book as a form of therapy. 'Deaf Material' is currently available online via Primary Information and will be in bookstores from September 15.