The Syracuse University Committee of Women and Art will host the 19th Annual Matrillineage Symposium from February 26 to March 25. The month-long event will take place in various locations at Syracuse University and the surrounding community.

This year’s symposium features a wide range of female artists, including, multi-media artist Amy Alexander, performance artist Kristina Wong, fibers artists Olek, film maker Faythe Levine, painter Betty Tompkins, and performance artist Dynasty Handbag as well as an art exhibition entitled Sensational Remix. (See Schedule Below).

Since its creation in 1991, the Matrilineage Symposium has been providing women artists and activists a stage to showcase their talents. Traditionally the symposium is a series of events held over three weeks each spring, honoring activism and feminism in the arts. The events bring a diverse group of artists to Syracuse to share their work with the community.

The first Matrilineage Symposium was created by two painting students, Jennifer Gillespie and Joanna Spitzner, as part of their Honors Thesis Project. The goal was to bring female visual artists to Syracuse University to help balance the marginalization of women artists discussed and studied in classes. The Committee of Women and Art were formed the following year to maintain the annual event. Today the Symposium has become more diverse with various events including concerts, lectures, film screenings, art shows, workshops, and discussions by writers, musicians, and activists, as well as visual and performing artists.

The Matrilineage Symposium is co-sponsored by the Syracuse iSchool and its student organization, Women in Information Technology.

This year’s event schedule:

Amy Alexander amy-alexander.com

  • Artist talk: March 4, 7 p.m. at Room 121 Shaffer Art Building• VJ performance: Friday March 5th, 8-10 p.m. at COLAB (The Warehouse, 350 W. Fayette St.). Alongside Syracuse’s own DJ Big Mouth. Refreshments will be served.

Kristina Wong kristinawong.com

  • Artist talk: Tuesday, March 2, 3 p.m. at Shemin Auditorium, Shaffer Art Building SU
  • Workshop 1 – Writing Off the Page: Wednesday, March 3,, 10 a.m.- noon @ Shemin
  • Workshop 2 – Performance on our Feet: Wednesday, March, 2-4 p.m. @ Shemin
  • Performance: Thursday, March 4, 4 p.m. at Room 121, Shaffer Art Building

Olek (Agata Oleksiak) agataolek.com

  • Talk: Thursday, March 11, 7 p.m. at Room 004, ComArt Building
  • Potluck to follow in the Fibers Studio, Room 130

Fayeth Levine faythelevine.blogspot.com

  • Screening: Handmade Nation handmadenationmovie.com
  • Friday, February 26, 7 p.m. at Watson Auditorium. Artists talk to follow.

Betty Tompkins bettytompkins.com

  • Talk: Wednesday, March 3, 6 p.m. at Room 500 Hall of Languages

Jibz Cameron1 (Dynasty Handbag) dynastyhandbag.com

  • Performance: Friday, February 26, 8 p.m. at Spark Art Space (1005 E. Fayette St.). Artists talk to follow.

Matrilineage Art Show

  • Thursday, March 25, 6-9 p.m. at Spark Contemporary Art Space (1005 E Fayette St). An exhibition of artwork, drawn from an open call and curated by Jen Prather. Refreshments will be served.