The Phoenix Rising in Galaxy Crossing

 

Reframing Humanity's

Oldest Taboo

 

 

 

Menstrala is the Official Name of the Visual Arts Movement 

Academically Recognized for Advocating Valuable Changes 

for Next Generations of Menstruating Women

Why create art with this medium?

"The Medium Is The Message"
~ Marshall McLuhan  

 

 

 

The medium of menstrual blood has always held the power to influence human consciousness since the origin of the taboo

 

 

Forbidden to be seen in society, the medium conveys a dangerous stigma. Some believe that merely looking at menstrual blood is harmful. Consequently, menstruating women deal with this least understood taboo in various ways.

 

 

Menstrala are academically recognized today, two decades after the original collection of 88 paintings was published online in 2000 by Vanessa Tiegs. The artworks portray how the experience of bleeding each month shapes the menstruant's outlook on life. The art movement also exposes society's attitude towards menstrual blood.

 

Menstrala Can Raise Funds for Women's Causes

 

 

Menstrala invoke emotional reactions, which can redirect a critical awareness to women's issues such as: girls' menstrual poverty; educational reform in middle schools; cultural validation of girls' first rite of passage; advocating medical solutions for health issues caused by menstruation and menopause; and, proposing mindful menstrual practices.

My Thoughts Have Wings

Menstrala Have Set The Stage for Expressing Menstrual Emotion Through Visual Art

In 2000, Menstrala inspired an art movement that gave girls a valid means of expression to deflect the conditioned shame in bleeding. Girls can create Menstrala to help them define their sexuality, feminine identity and menstrual experience. They can choose to contribute their menstrual paintings to the academically accepted visual arts movement, or keep them as private journals.

Rebalancing Outdated Values

Returning value to menstruation, Menstrala rebalance the destructive programming honed on girls. The movement increases awareness of the need for more educational health programs, like CeMCOR's Endowment Fund. Since its 2002 inception, The Centre for Menstrual Cycle & Ovulation Research at the University of British Columbia promotes new medical standards in women's health. 

Silverfish Spirits is the genesis painting of the Menstrala movement and the first creation from the collection of 88 artworks published between 2000-2003.

 

Menstrala have appeared in film productions:

Period: The End of Menstruation
Moon Inside You
A Flowering Tree

The Flower of Four Seasons with Core of Gold

 Memes

The Spiraling Moon LiveJournal of "Pain-Things" ignited a swarm of memes on Metafilter.com following their first publication in 2000.

Served to the Vatican

The jpeg of October Flight, Menstrala No. 42, was requested and served to the Vatican's website domain on November 9, 2002.

Over 100 Entries Were Submitted to The 1st International Menstrala Competition, 2014

In 2014, the artist Vanessa Tiegs was invited to serve as a judge in the 1st international Menstrala painting competition organized by the University of Mexico, encouraging artists around the world to address menstruation visually.

Copyright © 2024 Vanessa Tiegs. All rights reserved. Linking to the digital images presented on this website is freely permitted. However, commercial usage of the artworks requires a licensing fee for any one time usage and a royalty fee for multiple usage in derivative works. Exceptions to the fees may apply to academic educational unedited usages with written permission from the artist, Vanessa Tiegs.

We need your consent to load the translations

We use a third-party service to translate the website content that may collect data about your activity. Please review the details in the privacy policy and accept the service to view the translations.