Dear Community,
We met our matching grant for the DC Art Activation! An enormous thank you to everyone here who donated! It's all moving full steam ahead. Together with an amazing coalition of partners listed below, we have lively plans in the works (speakers, art, voter resources, events) for Nov 1-4 for when DENDROFEMONLOGY, A Feminist History Tree Ring will be installed on the National Mall to inspire and galvanize people to #ReclaimOurHistory and #VoteOurFuture!
We hope you'll join us Nov 1-4, either in DC or online. Sign up here. If you're coming, a lot of people will be staying at Hotel Zena. Would love to see you there.
We are now raising funds to make a powerful short film about the activation that will bring the intersectional timeline on the Feminist History Tree Ring to life. All donations are tax-deductible. Donate here. I also can't wait to attend a silent disco benefit this friday night on the Sausalito houseboats that author Maria Finn is orgranzing for this project. Info below.
I'm so happy to share that while the sculpture DENDROFEMONOLOGY is heading to the National Mall, the de Young Fine Art Museum in San Francisco has selected a large-scale photograph version of DENDRFOFEMONOLOGY for the de Young Open 2023 opening Sept. 30.
In this newsletter lots of things to fill your cup, including: Ken's upcoming art performance in Brooklyn at National Sawdust, Gloria Feldt's Power Up, Djerassi Foundation's Artful Harvest, TEDWomen, Tashlique, and Design Matters Live; artwork by Michele Pred, Mary Ann Strandell, Amy Critchett, and Camelia Skikos; books by Maria Finn, Ms. Magazine, Deena Emera, and Shirin Etassam; Creekside Social in San Jose, Vintage Ruse at Tam Junktion, and other things to check out.
Lastly, for those in the Bay Area, I moved into a new art studio in Sausalito and am having an open studio on Sept 23. Would love to see you there.
xo,
T
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Ken and I finally joined Threads. Find me here and Ken here.
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Love having my artwork selected at one of my favorite hometown of San Francisco museums, the de Young. A large-scale photograph of DENDROFEMONOLOGY: A Feminist History Tree Ring will be part of the de Young Open 2023, a juried community art exhibition of work by Bay Area artists. The show will be up from September 30 to January 7. Join me at the opening celebration Sept. 30, 11 am - 4 pm.
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| Silent Disco Benefit in Sausalito for DC Art Activation, Aug. 25 7p to 9:30pm
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Looking forward to Friday night! Maria Finn is organizing a Silent Disco this Friday, August 25, as a benefit for the DC Art Activation collaborative film. 7 to 9:30pm. I will be coming after Shabbat at 8pm. Reserve headsets in advance by emailing bumblebeeali@yahoo.com, or show up to the Charles Van Damme Park at Gate 6 Road at the Sausalito houseboats and pay with cash or Venmo. $15, all ages welcome.
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Power Up Concert and Conference on Women's Equality Day, August 26
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Gloria Feldt is an amazing leader. I first met her when she was CEO of Planned Parenhood (1996 to 2005) and now running this amazing he Take the Lead Conference. I highly recommend signing up for the online version. Speakers include include Dr. Nancy O'Reilly, Sherry Bass, Vidhi Data, Felicia Davis, and Dr. Sophia Yen. You can join virtually online. Use code POWERUPRIPPLE for 20% off your online registration.
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| TEDx Marin, Sept. 9 at 7 pm
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Ken will be sharing his thoughts on where we stand with AI and robots at this TEDxMarin event at Angelico Hall in San Rafael, Other speakers include Nolan Williams, Joanne Chen, Brad Jacobs, and Julianne Schroeder.
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I love being on the Design Matters podcast over the years and am so glad they're taking the show on the road. Join Debbie Millman and Roxane Gay for the first ever Design Matters tour this September in NYC, Boston, Philly and DC. More info and tickets here.
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| Creekside Socials in San Jose, Sept. 9 11 am - 3 pm
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Join Creekside Socials' block party in downtown San José, CA on Sep 9, 11 am - 3pm. Art, music, food, and activities. RSVP at creeksidesocials.com and follow them on Instagram.
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| Tashlique, Sept. 16 3 pm - 5 pm
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We're getting ready for the Jewish new year, and this is one of my favorite rituals: you symbolically cast off your last year by tossing bread into a body of water. Join Reboot and JCCSF for their annual modern spin on tashlich featuring the Jazz Mafia, the Irish Pipers Band, and the Ministers of Sound of the Saint John Will-I-Am Coltrane African Orthodox Church at Crissy Field East Beach, Sept. 16 3 pm - 5 pm. Everyone is welcome at this great beach /musical experience.
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| Open Studio in Sausalito Sept. 23
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Please join me at my new studio on the dock of the Bay. We're having an open studio September 23, 2 pm - 9 pm, with the afternoon to see the art, and 6 - 9 pm to have a drink and hang. Sawyer is flying in from Maine for this. Looking fowrard to it. RSVP here.
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| TEDWomen 2023, Oct. 11-13 in Atlanta
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Pat Mitchell's TEDWomen, a powerful three-day conference empowering women, is coming to Atlanta Oct. 11-13. I've loved speaking at TEDWomen and have premiered films there. I love all that I have learned there from speakers.
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Djerassi Foundation Artful Harvest Event, Oct. 22
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Save the date for the Djerassi Artful Harvest on Oct 22. My father, Leonard Shlain, MD, was an artist-in-residence twice at this esteemed program in Woodside, CA overlooking the Pacific Ocean working on his books. Please join me for this fundraiser on Sunday, October 22 that will include a Djerassi group art show, live auction, performances by alumni artists and a beautiful dinner by a Michelin-starred chef. Invitation and tickets here.
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National Sawdust in Brooklyn Presents Breathless: Catie and The Robot- An Eight-Hour Modern Dance Homage to Physical Labor- Created by Catie Cuan and Ken Goldberg, Dec. 16
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Ken and Catie Cuan address the historical, cultural, and emotional complexity of our collective fears about artificial intelligence and the future of human labor, with the significant technical gaps that remain between science fiction and contemporary robotics. This duet pairs dancer/choreographer/engineer Catie with an industrial robot arm for an eight-hour dance performance that unfolds over the timespan of a single American workday, beginning at 2pm and culminating with an artist talk from 10-11pm. At the conclusion of the eight-hour performance, Catie will sit down with Ken and NS+ Curator Elena Park for a conversation, including audience Q&A. Audience members will be welcome to enter, exit, and move about the space over the course of this performance. Dec 16.
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| Make Good Choices by Amy Critchett, Opening Nov. 9 6-9 in Petaluma
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Amy Critchett's first solo exhibition, featuring original artworks and "ARTicles," opens Nov. 9 6-9 at Hedge Reality at Foundry Wharf in Petaluma. I love her work and everything she does. It will be a happening. Can't wait to be there in all it's maximialist glory!
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Change Agents: Women Collectors Changing the Art World at Southampton Arts Center Through Sept. 30
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This exhibition showcases the vision of 14 women collectors, featuring artwork from their collections, including Mickalene Thomas and Michelle Pred's "Sexual Revolution," a quilt made from birth control pills -- it's so brilliant.
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I've known Mary Ann for years and have always loved her evocative artwork. I'm especially enamored by her new large-scale lenticular works. Check them out here.
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| Meantime at ICA SF Featuring Camelia Skikos Through Sept. 3
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Camelia Skikos is a briliant fashion designer based in SF. I went to her to dress me when my documentary series The Future Starts Here was nominated for an Emmy Award. We didn't win, but I loved what I was wearing;). It's been great watching her career flourish. See her designs in ICA SF's pop-up show Meantime.
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Gego: Measuring Infinity at the Guggenheim Through Sept. 10
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I just saw this show in NYC by Gego (Gertrud Goldschmidt) Measuring Infinity along with Sara Sze's show at the Guggenheim. Both great artists and highly recommend going to the Guggenheim to check them out.
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| Paul Farber's Pulling Together on the National Mall
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I love all the energy going into rethinking the visuals in our nation's capital. Sawyer and I are flying to DC to experience these installations, and have met with one of the curators, Paul Farber, about this movement to rethink monuments and all we can do. Pulling Together is so timely and important, and I can't wait to check it out.
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Excited to read this new best-of anthology from the groundbreaking feminist magazine. DC people, don't miss the event at Politics and Prose Sept. 22 at 7 pm featuring Executive Editor Kathleen Spillar; Dr. Michele Bratcher Goodwin; and professor Dorothy Roberts. Ms. Magazine paved the way for so many of us and is still so important moving forward.
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Forage. Gather. Feast. by Maria Finn
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Maria Finn is an amazing chef, writer and friend. I can't wait for her new book Forage. Gather. Feast featuring recipes from West Coast forests, shores and urban spaces. Preorder here.
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| A Brief History of the Female Body by Deena Emera
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Free to Be by Shirin Etessam
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Shirin told me when she was first working on this book. So happy it's out and looking forward to reading it.
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| Mill Valley Film Festival, Oct. 5-15
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My local film festival, the Mill Valley Film Festival, always has such a great lineup of amazing films. Mark Fishkin and Zoe Elton create cinematic magic with their programming and events. Get tickets, including for streaming, here.
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This film about Sinead O'Connor came out a couple years ago. I found it rvieting and brilliant -- she was such a truth-teller. Definitely worth rewatching now.
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| Black Barbie: A Documentary and Barbie Nation
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I recently saw Black Barbie at the Martha's Vineyard American Black Film Festival. It powerfully goes into the perspective of African American women on the Barbie doll and the reaction when the Black Barbie doll came out. Watch the trailer here. It's also good to watch Susan Stern's Barbie Nation. Both are great to view in this season of Barbie.
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Check out Sam Green's immersive sensory experience 32 Sounds. We both are interested in experimenting with the documentary form and I loved being in the audience with silent disco headphones for this new film.
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This documentary about Gene Wilder at the SF Jewish Film Festival was so great! Such a journey back to so many of my favorite films from childhood, from Young Frankenstein to the Producers and Willy Wonka). It's still on the festival circuit; keep an eye out for its release.
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| It's a Good Day to Change the World Audiobook by Lauren Schiller and Hadley Dynak
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Lauren Schiller and Hadley Dynak's book is finally out on audio! This book will uplift and inspire you to feel like it's a "good day to change the world!" Check it out on Audible here.
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| Vintage Ruse at Tam Junktion
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I love thrift stores and this new one in my hometown of Mill Valley is one of the best! Jules Mercer curates the fashion and there is also a great event space there that has trivia night, swing dancing and local high school bands. I love this place. Our town needed to get its funk back. Check out the vintage shop and gathering spot at 256 Shoreline Highway in Mill Valley.
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| Is Artificial Intelligence Good for Humanity?
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Ken and I were invited to join thinkers including Yuval Harari, Jane Metcalfe, Craig Newmark Etgar Keret and more for this article on AI in Moment Magazine.
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| The Female Scientists Missing from Oppenheimer
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This Washington Post article explores the many contributions of female scientists largely left out of the new Oppenheimer film.
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Two great articles came out recently about my 2005 Barbie documentary The Tribe. In the Forward, Sophie Brett-Chin wrote what seeing the film meant to her. Another article, by Faith Kramer, just came out this week in the J imagining what Barbie would have for Shabbat dinner and used my challah recipe and Ken's roast chicken recipe. You can check that out here.
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On Another Panel About Climate, They Ask Me to Sell the Future and All I've Got Is a Love Poem- a special from Krista Tippett's On Being
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I loved this poem by Ayisha Siddiqa featured on a recent episode of On Being. Listen here.
On Another Panel About Climate, They Ask Me to Sell the Future and All I’ve Got Is a Love Poem.
What if the future is soft and revolution is so kind that there is no end to us in sight.
Whole cities breathe and bad luck is bested by a promise to the leaves.
To withstand your own end is difficult.
The future frolics about, promised to no one, as is her right.
Rage against injustice makes the voice grow harsher yet.
If the future leaves without us, the silence that will follow will be an unspeakable nothing.
What if we convince her to stay?
How rare and beautiful it is that we exist.
What if we stun existence one more time?
When I wake up, get out of bed, my seven year old cousin with her ruptured belly tags along.
Then follows my grandmother,
aunts, my other cousins
and the violent shape of their drinking water.
The earth remembers everything,
our bodies are the color of the earth and we are nobodies.
Been born from so many
apocalypses, what’s one more?
Love is still the only revenge. It grows each time the earth is set on fire.
But for what it’s worth, I’d do this again.
Gamble on humanity one hundred times over
Commit to life unto life, as the trees fall and take us with them.
I’d follow love into extinction.
- Ayisha Siddiqa
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Until next month's newsletter! xo, T
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