THE ENERGY OF MENSTRUATION (2023)

During the Schmiede media art festival taking place since 2003 during September in Hallein, Austria, Jatun Risba and María Angélica Contreras collaborated in the production of the installation "The energy of menstruation. The bleeding cucumber" that was presented during the Blacksmith23 workshop show.

About the artwork:

'The Energy of Menstruation' is an art installation by Jatun Risba and María Angélica Contreras made of two scrolling video triptychs and a display cube showcasing different states of self-harvested menstrual blood. The videos depict pickles as alien bodies that get filled up with menstrual blood and electric energy. The artwork questions cultural prejudices towards menstruation and period bleeding, which are often seen as disgusting and impure. Contrary to that, the artists employ menstruation as a connective tissue that bridges the human-animal with the vegetal kindom. Amidst the screens there is a white cube with a stripe of plastic foil with crystals of bioplastics made of dried blood and splashes of fresh menstrual blood. The display shows the different states menstrual blood can take. What novel meanings and uses can menstrual blood convey and offer to present and future generations?