ART Concept

I am creating a photo work exploring menstruation as a theme, expressing the individual differences and unique perspectives women hold, and contemplating the role of female sexuality in human society through menstruation.

 

In recent years, there has been increasing attention on how menstruation is handled in schools, during disasters, and in public spaces. I focus on everyday locations used by people, specifically on how menstruation is perceived in schools and public places, capturing and expressing these scenes in landscape photographs.

 

This artwork places researched menstrual blood volume and menstrual products with residual blood in public spaces that everyone uses, symbolizing the parts of menstruation that women subtly hide or consider taboo. It focuses on the unseen aspects of women, reflecting on the true essence of womanhood. It addresses women’s struggles, individual differences, and questions iconic perceptions, portraying women not from a singular viewpoint, but as diverse individuals.

 

For women, menstrual products are as essential to daily life as food, clothing, and shelter. Menstruation is an essential phenomenon for sustaining life, and it is not simply an excretion act but also symbolizes the nature of the human body. However, in Japan’s educational system, men are rarely educated about the types of menstrual products or the amount used in a day. I believe that both women and men should be aware of this. By examining how menstruation is understood and handled in human society, I propose that mutual understanding with men would contribute to society as a whole.

 

Additionally, not only during disasters, but also in everyday life, some people cannot access sufficient menstrual products due to poverty or abuse. Providing food alone is insufficient; the inability to maintain clean clothing during menstruation or the pain that prevents women from fully participating in society is not just a personal issue—it is a serious societal problem. This work hints at such situations, expressing the hidden suffering associated with menstruation and the current state where some women are unable to fully thrive.

 

Menstruation is not just a biological event—it is a diverse experience that varies across individual bodies. Even among women, menstruation is not uniform. We must recognize individual differences, not only gender differences, and understand both others and ourselves as “diverse individuals.” Through this artwork, by highlighting the various aspects of menstruation, I aim to prompt people to ask the fundamental question “What is a woman?” I believe this will lead to changes in society’s perception and understanding of women, and ultimately, a shift in how people view themselves and others within society.