Dendrofemonology: A Feminist History Tree Ring

DENDROFEMONOLOGY: A FEMINIST HISTORY TREE RING
A MOVEABLE MONUMENT FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS

Sculpture Installation, Artist Talk and World Film Premiere of We Are Here
At Austin Central Library: October 27, 6pm-7:45pm

Dendrofemonology: A Feminist History Tree Ring is a 65-inch reclaimed deodar cedar wood sculpture that offers a timeline of humanity through a feminist lens, mapped against the concept of trees bearing witness to history, as a new kind of monument for the 21st century that by its very nature, being made from wood and not granite, will change and evolve. The sculpture explores an important narrative about where we started as a feminist culture, how far we’ve come, and how far we still have left to go. The timeline starts 50,000 years ago, with text hand burned onto the tree ring using pyrography, documenting how society has gone from women having power in ancient civilizations to the spread of patriarchy, women securing the right to vote, and the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. The last entry on the timeline is “Today:” serving as both an invitation to take action and a reminder that what we do today will influence what’s recorded next.

A moveable monument by design, Dendrofemonology embodies a philosophy of adaptability, community, and universality that aims to inspire, educate, and galvanize the continued fight for gender equality while memorializing the push and pull of women’s progress. Previous installations include the National Mall in Washington D.C, where its 2023 debut installation on included a program featuring Wonder Woman’s Lynda Carter, #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, activist Dolores Huerta, and TV host Padma Lakshmi; Madison Square Park in New York City; 21c Museum in St. Louis, Missouri; di Rosa in San Francisco featuring a keynote event with Speaker Emerita of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, and most recently in Seneca Falls, NY at the Wesleyan Chapel where the women’s rights movement started in 1848, and now at the Women’s National Hall of Fame  each serving as a catalyst for community action and civic conversation.

WE ARE HERE: THE FILM
In parallel to the Dendrofemonology work being created and shown around the country, Tiffany Shlain directed a 12-minute short film We Are Here. Oct 27th, 2026 in Texas and around the country, will mark the premiere of the fourth update of this film that explores both the creative thinking behind the work and shows highlights from each stop. This award-winning film has screened at film festivals in Berlin, Mumbai, Tokyo, Paris, and more. With each installation stop and art activation the film gets updated. A completely new version will premiere in Austin, Texas at the Central Library and around the country on Oct 27th.