Women's Memorial Tree
In early 2024, I was overwhelmed with anger, disgust, frustration, and deep sadness. Women were being murdered at an alarming rate, yet little was being done. The violence against women and girls had reached epidemic levels, but media coverage was scarce, and our political leaders lacked urgency.
I signed petitions, attended rallies, but I knew I had to do more. From this raw emotion, the idea to shed light on this issue was born. Collaborating with a panel of inspiring local women and the talented Reverse Butcher, we created The Women’s Memorial Tree, featuring the song "Is This the World?" — a powerful protest against violence towards women in Australia.
Sadly, in 2025, little has changed.
Women's Memorial Tree / Is this the world?
Women's Memorial Tree / Is this the world?
The Women's Memorial Tree project featuring 'Is this the world" song
"Women's Memorial Tree" / "Is This the World?" | Behind the Scenes
Create Lab 2024
"The Women’s Memorial Tree" is an audiovisual artwork created by Bendigo-based artist and musician Kylie Art (formerly Sharp Candy). A poignant protest against violence towards women, the piece features a hand-sculpted, virtual reality artwork created by Ballarat-based artist Reverse Butcher, paired with a powerful and emotive soundtrack written and performed by Kylie Art.
Born out of the urgent need to address the rise of gender-based violence, the collaborators were deeply committed to creating an artwork that not only conveyed the stark reality of this epidemic but also honoured the memory of the Australian women tragically lost to violence. The Women's Memorial Tree serves as a solemn tribute to those lives lost and a call to action, urging all of us to channel our empathy, creativity, and efforts into combating this violence and working towards a world where it no longer exists.
Please share, discuss, and most importantly, keep safe.
Any profit from this project will be donated to local organizations like Sunshine Bendigo, which supports families in need. We encourage you to donate to similar organisations in your area.
This artwork was created on the unceded lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung and Wadawurrung people, the Traditional Custodians and knowledge-holders.
Sadly, as there is no official register of women killed by gender-based violence in Australia, this project relied on the work of Counting Dead Women Australia researchers of Destroy the Joint and Australian Femicide Watch, along with media reports and police releases. For the purposes of this project, gender violence murders are defined as any act where a man or boy murdered a woman, or the woman died from that violence, within the date range of 1 January to 3 June 2024. It is acknowledged that some women may be missing from this memorial for a variety of reasons and we will endeavour to add their names.
Where possible, the women’s names are listed, as they are not numbers or headlines but mothers, daughters, colleagues, teammates, neighbours, and friends. When a woman's name has not been publicly released due to cultural reasons or police restrictions, the term ‘unnamed woman’ is used.
This is a working project with Stage 1: Developed through the City of Greater Bendigo Create Lab 2024 grant in partnership with Emporium Creative Hub, and Stage 2: Involves finalising the production of the song "Is This the World?" and completing research to identify the remaining women tragically lost to gender-based violence in 2024. Conservatively, 76 women lost their lives to this epidemic in 2024 alone, and their names will be added to the Women's Memorial Tree to ensure they are never forgotten.