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Rebalancing Outdated Values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.
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