Women's Studies Research Center

Amazons, Goddesses and Wonder Women: A Fulbright Journey

On View Nov. 1 – 23, 2022

Black Panther (2020). Black walnut and colored pencil, 30” tall. Courtesy of the artist.

Black Panther (2020). Black walnut and colored pencil, 30” tall.

Photo Credit: Donna Dodson

Since 2020, Donna Dodson has collaborated with several artists and scholars to translate her wood sculpture series "Amazons Among Us" into a variety of mediums, including poetry and animation. Dodson's sculptures are inspired by legendary warrior women, such as the ancient Amazons of the steppes, the Dahomey of West Africa and the Rani of Jhansi.

As Dodson's heroines transform through porous materials of wood, wor and pixels, this interdisciplinary collaboration honors the endurance of ancient storytelling and extends it towards a posthuman future. Earthy, sensuous wooden icons encounter digital avatars of infinitude. A score of poetry written by K. Melchor Hall grounds the environment. "Amazons, Goddesses and Wonder Women" examines how historical and futurist feminist mythologies can evoke ancestral connection, a sense of resiliency and belonging. Audiences are invited to consider their own presence amongst these figures and how they can help craft legacies of social transformation and restorative justice.

This exhibition features wood sculptures by Brandeis University WSRC Resident Scholar Donna Dodson; poems by Brandeis University WSRC Resident Scholar K. Melchor Hall; collaborative animations with Trina Baker, Lesley University Chair of Animation; and Eric Keller, professional animator and CG artist, with concept art and 3D models by Lesley University interns Lexy Saunders, Paola Almonte Colon and Sarah Clifford and posterboards by Brandeis University Student Scholar Partners Pilar Duvivier and Cyrenity Augustin. Alongside this artwork, the exhibition features feminist animations from Dodson's international colleagues, whom she met during her Fulbright U.S. Scholar Artist Residency at Q21/MQ in Vienna, Austria, with her host, Tricky Women/Tricky Realities, the world’s first and only animation festival for women artists.

"Amazons, Goddesses and Wonder Women: A Fulbright Journey" is curated by Maya Rubio.

Exhibition Events

  • Opening Reception with a Fulbright Award Panel: Nov. 1 at the WSRC | Fulbright Award-winning scholars K. Melchor Hall, Djounia Saint-Fleurant, Hoang Duong Thien and Aishah Winter share their experiences and insight into the application process.
  • On Feminist Animation: A Virtual Panel Discussion Moderated by Donna Dodson, Fulbright Scholar and Resident Scholar at the WSRC: (online) | A virtual panel of feminist animators including Christine A. Banna, Sarah E. Jenkins, Atia Newman (Quadri), Shanti Thakur and Trina Baker.
  • On Collaboration: A Panel Discussion with Donna Dodson, K. Melchor Hall, Trina Baker, Cyrenity Augustin, Pilar Duvivier, and Paola Almonte Colon: Nov. 1 at the WSRC | Exhibiting artists speak about the process of working in large teams on collaborative projects.