ARTIST STATEMENT
For something half of the population experience once a month, menstruation is considered ritually unclean, and mostly hidden in private. Yet the memory of a woman’s first period is one that will remain with her for life and defines individual experiences and identity. A bouquet of twelves roses, historically linked to confidentiality, love, and beauty, made of tampons, invites conflicting feelings of familiarity, disgust, and contemplation. The number twelve reflects the cycles in a year and references growth, while the use of sanitary hygiene products brings in to question accessibility, socio-economics and the taboo; exploring shared human experience and memory.
ARTWORK PROCESS
Many experiments were undertaken with materials and processes to express memory and shared experience. The artist then tried using found objects(tampons and sanitary pads) in diverse ways including dipping and drawing with them and experimenting with ink. It was discovered that the tampons resembled roses when they had been used as a drawing implement. This was explored further with the intention of creating 'roses' with tampons. Subtle differences in colour and form where sought and achieved. These roses were installed and photographed in many ways until it was decided they were most effective presented as a discarded bouquet of 'roses'.
