polyurethane, wood; four pieces 18x12x20″ to 40x12x18″

“Before the rise of patriarchy and the division of labor into gendered hierarchies that privileged hunting and warfare, early societies relied on women’s knowledge of plants, roots, and the technologies needed to gather and preserve them. This knowledge— encoded in practices like basketry and warp weight weaving—was passed down through generations by touch and repetition, a form of proto-feminist lineage before feminism had a name or power. The work of women was cyclical, rhythmic, and embodied. And it was vital. Much like the warp and weft of a textile, the design of these stools was purposeful: constructed to harness gravity, they offered strength and stability, granting women greater control over their bodies during childbirth. Like a weaver’s frame, the body was held in tension, much like the somatic process of producing a tapestry or a basket, using structure, rhythmic movement and deep care to intertwine tradition and survival.”

ARTIST BIO: Erica Fitzgerald is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice follows linear relationships between feminine labor, earth, and familial traditions through the lens of material change. She earned her MFA in New Media at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and her BFA in sculpture with a minor in art history from the Art Academy of Cincinnati. Her work has been shown nationally and internationally in Ireland, and Iceland. She currently lives and works in Cincinnati.