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During this project I read Simone de Beauvoir, Angela Davis and Naomi Wolf. They were much more political subjects to think about than something actually related to Menstruation but they were a great source of information for me, as a young feminist.
When reading The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir I was able to understand the role of a woman in society and also the things that make me a woman and how they are simply explained by gender roles and patriarchal control. Woman, Race and Class by Angela Davis gave me a different perspective of the feminist movement. Angela makes an intersectional analysis of the feminist theory and she also brings up the big amount of racism that was present during the Suffragette's movement. She talks a lot about how white woman wanted to vote but wouldn't defend the right of black people to do the same. It was important to me, as a white woman, to understand that in certain places and situations, race speaks louder than gender. And reading The beauty myth by Naomi Wolf was the biggest reveal for me. I didn't finish this one yet but finding out how beauty images are used as a form of control was simply too much for me. I learned that today in order to be perfect, woman need to be successful and deal with the stigma of beauty at the same time. I wonder if one day we'll be able to live our lives without trying to fit in some kind of pattern that the only true thing that does to us is kill.

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I met Larissa in a Studio that I went with my boyfriend. We went to a gathering to check out a work from one of his friends. Her work caught my attention because she talks about feminism in a more spiritual way. But the crucial moment of that day was when she made the transmission of a film about menstruation, something that made me relate her practice to mine at the exact moment the film started.
Although Larissa's practice is much more AudioVisual than anything else, I was able to relate her concept with mine. We both wanted to bring attention to something that is often seem as an enormous taboo in society and is even a difficult thing for women to conquer. She ended up being a strong force of inspiration in a week that I was thinking about giving up from my ideas.

Instagram.com. (2019). larissa guerrero (@textogorfo) • Fotos e vídeos do Instagram. [online] Available at: https://www.instagram.com/textogorfo/?hl=pt [Accessed 26 May 2019].

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I relate Luisa's work to my practice in the sense that she only works with pink. I find myself going trough different shades of pink every time. It is really hard for me to draw, paint or create anything without this colour. I really don't know what lead me into making this decision but every time is only by intuition.
What I find most interesting when analysing this work is the use of the body to create mono prints and when talking about concept it really comes to hand since breast are a great symbol of the feminine. They are directly related to motherhood and sexuality. They are authorised when required for masculine pleasure but often banished when are trying to meet the ends of a woman. They must be shaped to meet the standards. They must be hidden so that they don't act against good morals. They are at the same time, sacred and profane.

Luisacallegari.com. (2019). [online] Available at: https://www.luisacallegari.com/projetomama [Accessed 28 May 2019].

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Magdalena Abakanowicz was born in Poland in 1930 and began working as an artist in the late 50s. She is best known for her textile sculptures of biomorphic forms. Abakanowicz was particularly influenced by the geometric structures of Constructivist art. By the mid 60s she began to work exclusively with natural fibres like sisal. I think I might be able to incorporate some of her aesthetics aspects in the work I am planning to do. Magdalena's sculptures were often very big, almost 3 meters high. The contrast between the rough material and the delicate forms she creates are some things I am willing to explore in this project. They invite touch and exploration but at the same time are very frightening, this one, Black Garment, almost looks like a monster.
Abakanowicz, M. (2019). Magdalena Abakanowicz Biography – Magdalena Abakanowicz on artnet. [online] Artnet.com. Available at: http://www.artnet.com/artists/magdalena-abakanowicz/biography [Accessed 23 Mar. 2019].
Reckitt, H. and Phelan, P. (2012). Art and feminism. 1st ed. London: Phaidon.

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In Constellation, artist Poppy Jackson applied blood in dots across her own body and onto the ceiling of a gallery space. She collected menstrual blood from the public and brought them into contact with it.
What I find most amusing is that she creates a type of signature with blood when marking her own body with it, almost like an affirmation that we all came from uterine blood. It is also a form of empowerment since women are often ashamed of menstrual blood.

Vimeo. (2019). Constellation - Poppy Jackson. [online] Available at: https://vimeo.com/156634572 [Accessed 26 May 2019].

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Constellation
Poppy Jackson

Containers of menstrual blood from various contributors (obtained through an online Call Out*), stick and compact mirror painted white
2 hour performance

Exquisite Corpse curated by Sarah Faraday
Fuse Art Space (Bradford, 2015) & Gold + Beton (Cologne, 2016)

Video filmed by Till Riester

* CALL OUT:

The artist is seeking participants to donate menstrual blood for the performance. Menstrual blood contributions of any volume are welcomed for donation in a clean and fully sealed transparent container (e.g., drinks bottle/ jam jar etc). We require all containers to be labelled with the contributor’s name or pseudonym (or mark ‘anonymous’), the date of collection and location. All female-identifying and gender queer contributors are welcome to participate. 'Menstrual blood' as a substance is to be defined by the contributor themselves.

Please place the container inside a sealed plastic bag and drop off at one of these two points:

Fuse Art Space, Bradford, BD1 3QQ
Drop off any time Weds - Sat, 11am - 6pm

The Old Deptford Police Station Studios, London, SE14 6LG 
Drop off on Tuesday 1st September 3-8pm, or Thurs 3rd Sept 3-8pm. Additional times can be arranged with the artist - email poppyjackson@aol.com

For any further details email us at hello@wearefuse.co.

[From Fuse Art Space website Sept 2015 - http://www.wearefuse.co/project/90/poppy-jackson-constellation-live-performance/]

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late 14c., "pertaining to menses of females," from Old French menstruel and directly from Latin menstrualis "monthly," especially "of or having monthly courses," from menstruus "of a month, every month, monthly, pertaining to a month," from mensis "month" (see moon (n.)). Occasionally, in astronomy, "monthly" (1590s).

Etymonline.com. (2019). menstrual | Origin and meaning of menstrual by Online Etymology Dictionary. [online] Available at: https://www.etymonline.com/word/menstrual#etymonline_v_12592 [Accessed 26 May 2019].

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1680s, "pollute with menstrual blood;" 1752, "to discharge the menses," probably a back-formation from menstruation, or else from Latin menstruatus, past participle of menstruare, from menstruus"monthly," from mensis "month" (see moon (n.)). Related: Menstruated; menstruating.

Etymonline.com. (2019). menstruate | Origin and meaning of menstruate by Online Etymology Dictionary. [online] Available at: https://www.etymonline.com/word/menstruate [Accessed 26 May 2019].

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"monthly discharge of blood from the uterus," 1590s, from Latin menses, plural of mensis "month" (see moon (n.)).

Etymonline.com. (2019). menses | Origin and meaning of menses by Online Etymology Dictionary. [online] Available at: https://www.etymonline.com/word/menses [Accessed 26 May 2019].

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Sense of "repeated cycle of events" led to that of "interval of time." Meaning "dot marking end of a sentence" first recorded c. 1600, from similar use in Medieval Latin (in late 16c. English it meant "full pause at the end of a sentence"). Sense of "menstruation" dates from 1822. Educational sense of "portion of time set apart for a lesson" is from 1876. Sporting sense attested from 1898. As an adjective from 1905; period piece attested from 1911.

Etymonline.com. (2019). period | Origin and meaning of period by Online Etymology Dictionary. [online] Available at: https://www.etymonline.com/word/period#etymonline_v_12704 [Accessed 26 May 2019].

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"the period of menstruation," 1680s, from past-participle stem of Late Latin menstruare, from menstruus "monthly" (from mensis "month;" see moon (n.)) + -ation. Old English equivalent was monaðblot "month-blood." Middle English had menstrue (n.), late 14c., from Old French menstrue, from Latin menstruum.

Etymonline.com. (2019). menstruation | Origin and meaning of menstruation by Online Etymology Dictionary. [online] Available at: https://www.etymonline.com/word/menstruation#etymonline_v_31986 [Accessed 26 May 2019].

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This video was useable as a form of Research to understand the emotions the female body goes trough during each phase of the Menstrual Cycle.

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This is Your Period in 2 Minutes | Glamour

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This article was a source of Research to decide how to illustrate each phase of the Menstrual Cycle in my work. With the descriptions of each phase I was able to think about a visual way to represent each one of them.

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Your menstrual cycle is part of your body's way of preparing for a possible pregnancy each month. Understanding how the process works is important, since you can use this information to help to either get pregnant or avoid getting pregnant, to better manage any menstrual symptoms you are experiencing, and understand when there might be a problem.

What is menstruation?

Menstruation is the technical term for getting your period. About once a month, females who have gone through puberty will experience menstrual bleeding. This happens because the lining of the uterus has prepared itself for a possible pregnancy by becoming thicker and richer in blood vessels. If pregnancy does not occur, this thickened lining is shed, accompanied by bleeding. Bleeding usually lasts for 3-8 days. For most women, menstruation happens in a fairly regular, predictable pattern. The length of time from the first day of one period to the first day of the next period normally ranges from 21-35 days.

How does the menstrual cycle work?

The menstrual cycle is controlled by a complex orchestra of hormones, produced by two structures in the brain, the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus along with the ovaries.

If you just want a quick, general overview of the menstrual cycle, read this description.

For a more detailed review of the physical and hormonal changes that happen over the menstrual cycle, click here.

General overview of the menstrual cycle:

The menstrual cycle includes several phases. The exact timing of the phases of the cycle is a little bit different for every woman and can change over time.

Cycle days (approximate)Events of the menstrual cycle

Days 1-5

The first day of menstrual bleeding is considered Day 1 of the cycle.

Your period can last anywhere from 3 to 8 days, but 5 days is average.

Bleeding is usually heaviest on the first 2 days.

Days 6-14

Once the bleeding stops, the uterine lining (also called the endometrium) begins to prepare for the possibility of a pregnancy.

The uterine lining becomes thicker and enriched in blood and nutrients.

Day 14-25

Somewhere around day 14, an egg is released from one of the ovaries and begins its journey down the fallopian tubes to the uterus.

If sperm are present in the fallopian tube at this time, fertilization can occur.

In this case the fertilized egg will travel to the uterus and attempt to implant in the uterine wall.

Days 25-28

If the egg was not fertilized or implantation does not occur, hormonal changes signal the uterus to prepare to shed its lining, and the egg breaks down and is shed along with lining.

The cycle begins again on Day 1 menstrual bleeding.

Comprehensive explanation of the menstrual cycle:

The menstrual cycle has three phases:

1. Follicular Phase (Days 1-14)

This phase of the menstrual cycle occurs from approximately day 1-14. Day 1 is the first day of bright red bleeding, and the end of this phase is marked by ovulation. While menstrual bleeding does happen in the early part of this phase, the ovaries are simultaneously preparing to ovulate again. The pituitary gland (located at the base of the brain) releases a hormone called FSH - follicle stimulating hormone. This hormone causes several 'follicles' to rise on the surface of the ovary. These fluid filled "bumps" each contain an egg. Eventually, one of these follicle becomes dominant and within it develops a single mature egg; the other follicles shrink back. If more than one follicle reaches maturity, this can lead to twins or more. The maturing follicle produces the hormone estrogen, which increases over the follicular phase and peaks in the day or two prior to ovulation. The lining of the uterus (endometrium) becomes thicker and more enriched with blood in the second part of this phase (after menstruation is over), in response to increasing levels of estrogen. High levels of estrogen stimulate the production of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which in turn stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete luteinizing hormone (LH). On about day 12, surges in LH and FSH cause the egg to be released from the follicle. The surge in LH also causes a brief surge in testosterone, which increases sex drive, right at the most fertile time of the cycle.

2. Ovulatory Phase (Day 14)

The release of the mature egg happens on about day 14 as a result of a surge in LH and FSH over the previous day. After release, the egg enters the fallopian tube where fertilization may take place, if sperm are present. If the egg is not fertilized, it disintegrates after about 24 hours. Once the egg is released, the follicle seals over and this is called the corpus luteum.

3. Luteal Phase (Days 14-28)

After the release of the egg, levels of FSH and LH decrease. The corpus luteum produces progesterone. If fertilization has occurred, the corpus luteum continues to produce progesterone which prevents the endometrial lining from being shed. If fertilization has not occurred, the corpus luteum disintegrates, which causes progesterone levels to drop and signals the endometrial lining to begin shedding.

What is normal bleeding?

There is a range of normal bleeding - some women have short, light periods and others have longer, heavy periods. Your period may also change over time.

Normal menstrual bleeding has the following features:

Your period lasts for 3-8 days

Your period comes again every 21-35 days (measured from the first day of one period to the first day of the next)

The total blood loss over the course of the period is around 2-3 tablespoons but secretions of other fluids can make it seem more

How can I figure out what is happening in my cycle? When am I ovulating?

Simply tracking your cycle on a calendar, along with some details of your bleeding and symptoms can help you understand your cycle. Record when your period starts and ends, what the flow was like, and describe any pain or other symptoms (bloating, breast pain etc.), changes in mood or behaviour that you experienced. Over several cycles you will be able to see patterns in your cycle, or identify irregularities that are occurring. Use your own calendar or try this ' menstrual diary '. There are also numerous apps available to help you track your period. If your periods come regularly every 21-35 days, chances are excellent that you are ovulating.

Beyond simple calendar tracking, there are a few ways to figure out the timing of your own personal menstrual cycle. Separately or used together, these can be used to help determine when and whether you are ovulating. Three methods you can try are cervical mucus testing, basal body temperature monitoring, and ovulation prediction kits.

Cervical mucus testing

What is cervical mucus?

The cells lining your cervical canal secrete mucus. The consistency of this mucus changes over your cycle. When you are fertile, the mucus changes to a consistency and structure that permits the sperm's travel on its way to your egg. When you are most fertile it will be clear, abundant, and stretchy. To give you an idea of the consistency, this type of fertile mucus is sometimes abbreviated as EWCM - egg-white cervical mucus. When you are not fertile, the mucus is sticky, cloudy, and doesn't stretch.

How do I test my cervical mucus?

Watching the changes in the amount and consistency of your cervical mucus can help you understand your cycle. Here's how it works: check your secretions before and after urinating by wiping with toilet paper. Alternatively you can insert a clean finger into your vagina to obtain a sample of mucus. Observe (and record) the consistency of the mucus, and use this chart to identify where you are in your cycle. Your mucus can be cloudy, white, yellowish, or clear. It can have either a sticky or stretchy consistency. Use your thumb and forefinger to see if the mucus stretches.

You are most fertile on the days when you have abundant, stretchy mucus. This is not a foolproof method to prevent pregnancy.

Basal Body Temperature

What does 'basal body temperature' mean?

Your basal body temperature is your lowest body temperature when you are at rest. It is typically measured after several hours of sleep. As soon as you are up and about, your temperature increases slightly.

How does the basal body temperature method of fertility tracking work?

This method takes a few months of daily tracking to establish the specific patterns happening in your body. Your body temperature changes slightly in response to hormonal changes related to ovulation. Before you ovulate, your body temperature is usually between 36.2°C and 36.5°C. The day after you ovulate, your temperature will increase by at least 0.5°C (36.7°C to 37.1°C for example) and stay at this temperature until menstruation. To use this method, measure and record your body temperature as soon as you wake up, after at least 6 hours of sleep/rest. This means taking your temperature before you get out of bed and before eating or drinking anything. Take your temperature at about the same time every day. If you like to sleep in on the weekend you might have to set an alarm!

You will need a special "basal body temperature" thermometer, available at drug stores. Some thermometers have a memory feature that records the previous reading so you don't have to record it immediately. You will see the half-degree increase in temperature the day after you ovulate. This method will help you determine if you are ovulating, how regular your cycle is, and how long your cycle is.

If your temperature doesn't change over the course of your cycle, and your periods are irregular, it is possible that you may not be ovulating. You may want to get in touch with your health care provider.

Ovulation Prediction Kits

Ovulation prediction kits measure the concentration of the Luteinizing Hormone (LH) in your urine. This hormone is always present in small amounts in your urine but increases in the 24-48 hours before ovulation occurs. More advanced kits also measure estradiol, a form of estrogen that peaks on the day of ovulation. Instructions vary from kit to kit, so read the product insert carefully before using it.

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Your menstrual cycle is part of your body's way of preparing for a possible pregnancy each month. Understanding how the process works is important, since you can use this information to help to either get pregnant or avoid getting pregnant, to better manage any menstrual symptoms you are experiencing, and understand when there might be a problem.

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late 14c., "abnormally copious flow," from Old French flus "a flowing, a rolling; a bleeding" (Modern French flux), or directly from Latin fluxus (adj.) "flowing, loose, slack," past participle of fluere "to flow". Originally "excessive flow" (of blood or excrement), it also was an early name for "dysentery;" sense of "continuous succession of changes" is first recorded 1620s. The verb is early 15c., from the noun.
Etymonline.com. (2019). flux | Origin and meaning of flux by Online Etymology Dictionary. [online] Available at: https://www.etymonline.com/word/flux [Accessed 28 Apr. 2019].

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Organs: Ethereal Textiles by Moriel Dezaldeti

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Organs: Ethereal Textiles by Moriel Dezaldeti

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When thinking about constructing my second piece, this work is aesthetically relatable. I want to represent the menstrual flux with a fabric sculpture. I also think it is easier to create a relationship with a liquid atmosphere because fabric is a malleable object and due to that, is easier to get a FLUX/FLOW sensation from it.
Anon, (2019). [image] Available at: https://design-milk.com/organs-moriel-dezaldeti/ [Accessed 28 Apr. 2019].

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1530s, a kind of document in Scottish law, from Middle French signature (16c.) or directly from Medieval Latin signatura "signature, a rescript," in classical Latin "the matrix of a seal," from signatus, past participle of signare "to mark with a stamp, sign".

Meaning "one's own name written in one's own hand" is from 1570s, replacing sign-manual (early 15c.) in this sense. Musical sense of "signs placed it the beginning of a staff to indicate the key and rhythm" is from 1806. Meaning "a distinguishing mark of any kind" is from 1620s.

Etymonline.com. (2019). signature | Origin and meaning of signature by Online Etymology Dictionary. [online] Available at: https://www.etymonline.com/word/signature [Accessed 3 Apr. 2019].

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This movie is a documentary about a little village in India where women fight the stigma surrounding menstruation and begin manufacturing her own sanitary pads. It starts with the contextualization of the experiences of women in rural areas of India, presenting testimonies that expose that in the region the access to information about the female body is practically non-existent. Almost all women interviewed had no idea why they menstruate and many of them consider menstruation a disease.
The most important message in this movie is about the practical and social consequences of precluding menstruation. Female bodies are above all things political bodies and therefore targets to various levels of oppression and violence. Denying women knowledge about their own bodies is a form of patriarchal control.
The documentary even talks about how women may fall ill - one girls said that she uses any type of cloth to contain the flow of blood, something that clearly jeopardizes her health, something that may even kill her; another woman says that she left school because it was very difficult to have to change her clothes every time to keep herself dry. None of them had ever used an intimate absorbent - either because it is too expensive, or because of lack of information - and are forced to leave schools simply because they have an uterus. By menstruating, they are considered incapable of having an education, autonomy, and, consequently, are destined to compulsory marriages that maintain masculine privileges and structures of misogynistic power. Women menstruate, and therefore are considered unfit for public life.
When a hygienic absorbent machine is inserted into the film, the previously soaked prospects begin to change. Some women who have never worked before join forces to make low-cost absorbents and convince other women in the community to use them as well. They begin a modest but exciting and promising revolution of collectivity, exchange and female financial autonomy.

Anon, (2019). [image] Available at: http://time.com/5526055/india-period-end-of-sentence-oscars-2019/ [Accessed 4 Apr. 2019].

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Red Flag is a photo lithograph work by Judy Chicago that aims on bringing up the reality of women's bodies. It was the first work of art to show a woman removing a tampon. Something so common in every women's lives. It seems to break up the taboo of ladylike purity. Judy commented that a lot of people did not know what the red object was and some thought it was a bloody penis, showing how unwilling people were to perceive the reality of the female body.
Reckitt, H. and Phelan, P. (2012). Art and feminism. 1st ed. London: Phaidon.
Mum.org. (2019). The Art of Menstruation: Judy Chicago's Red Flag at MUM. [online] Available at: http://www.mum.org/armenjc.htm [Accessed 28 Mar. 2019].

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Miss Me is a feminist art vandal who works anonymously. She lives in Montreal and her work is reclaiming media representations of women by taking powerful images of women to the street. Although her work is basically composed by naked women, the position of these bodies aren't of seduction. It's a matter of owning their own body, sexuality and representation. Miss Me claims that her goal is to help women and specially young women understand that embracing their differences and weirdness as a part of being fully feminine.
YouTube. (2019). Meet the Feminist Artful Vandal: Miss Me. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO1taCi7gFM [Accessed 29 Mar. 2019].

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Meet the Feminist Artful Vandal: Miss Me

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XANDRA IBARRA - SHE'S ON THE RAG, 2013 -

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XANDRA IBARRA - SHE'S ON THE RAG, 2013 -

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She's on the Rag is an ongoing artwork by Mexican artist Xandra Ibarra, also known as "La Chica Boom". The project offered various Rorschach tests made of her own menstrual blood. She began her period one day while working at an artist residency.
"I didn’t have a tampon or pad to prevent the bleeding so I folded a paper towel and put it in my underwear while I went to the store to pick up tampons. When I came back, I removed and opened up the folded paper towel and realised it made a beautiful symmetrical print."
In addition to selling individual menstrual works of art, the artist offers a psychodynamic consultation that aims to “read" to every buyer via a video consultation and based on these consultations, she deciphers the designs’ potential meanings. According to the artists "“She’s on the Rag” is humorous and manipulates the political economy of sexuality."
Anon, (2019). [image] Available at: https://hyperallergic.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Rorschach_Menstrual_Blot_8_2013.jpg [Accessed 28 Mar. 2019].
Hyperallergic. (2019). Reading Menstrual Rags Like Rorschach Tests. [online] Available at: https://hyperallergic.com/252940/reading-menstrual-rags-like-rorschach-tests/ [Accessed 28 Mar. 2019].

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Linha sobre tela de voile caught my attention as an outcome idea to my project. This work consists in a translucent fabric placed in a wood frame. I liked that I was able to see the frame through the canvas, transforming it in a important part of the final piece. Sometimes, in a paint, is easy to forget about the structure holding it. And I think this also applies to women. Most of the time we try to be like men, act like them and do our best to forget the structure of a woman just to be accepted.

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It has ousted native token. Meaning "a mark or device having some special importance" is recorded from late 13c.; that of "a miracle" is from c. 1300. Zodiacal sense in English is from mid-14c. Sense of "characteristic device attached to the front of an inn, shop, etc., to distinguish it from others" is first recorded mid-15c. Meaning "token or signal of some condition" (late 13c.) is behind sign of the times (1520s). In some uses, the word probably is a shortening of ensign. Sign language is recorded from 1847; earlier hand-language (1670s).

Etymonline.com. (2019). sign | Origin and meaning of sign by Online Etymology Dictionary. [online] Available at: https://www.etymonline.com/word/sign [Accessed 3 Apr. 2019].

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She's Beautiful when She's Angry is a documentary about the birth of women's liberation movement in the 60s. The film covers a timeline from the period when The Feminine Mystique began taking hold of public consciousness and it ends with showing the major develops of radical feminism in America. The problems that most caught my attention on this film were the issues concerning abortion an child care. Over 50 years ago women started fighting for these rights and today they're still judged as unnecessary matters. None of the activists that take part in the Doc are under the illusion that their work is done. There's still a lot of things to do. It made me think about how women’s rights are being rolled back by modern legislation on the Occident. It's like Simone de Beauvoir said: "Never forget that a political, economical or religious crisis will be enough to cast doubt on women's rights. These rights will never be vested. You'll have to stay vigilant your whole life."

Anon, (2019). [image] Available at: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTA1ODkwODEyNDBeQTJeQWpwZ15BbWU4MDk1MjY0MDMx._V1_.jpg [Accessed 25 Mar. 2019].
She's Beautiful When She's Angry. (2014). [film] Directed by M. Dore. Salt Lake City: Netflix.

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Shigeko Kubota was born in Niigata, Japan, in 1937, and she is most known for her performances, installations and videos. In 1965, Shigeko Kubota performed "Vagina Painting". She laid a large sheet of paper on the floor and with a brush tied to her underwear, painted red strokes on it. Kubota turned her body into a tool, creating the statement that the female body, as an object of art, no longer exists and it is now an instrument of creation of art. "Vagina Painting" addresses issues such as the fertility, creation and roles of women in society at the time.
Reckitt, H. and Phelan, P. (2012). Art and feminism. 1st ed. London: Phaidon.

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c. 1300, "to make the sign of the cross," from Old French signier "to make a sign (to someone); to mark," from Latin signare "to set a mark upon, mark out, designate; mark with a stamp; distinguish, adorn;" figuratively "to point out, signify, indicate," from signum "identifying mark, sign" (see sign (n.)). Sense of "to mark, stamp" is attested from mid-14c.; that of "to affix one's name" is from late 15c. Meaning "to communicate by hand signs" is recorded from 1700. Related: Signed; signing.

Etymonline.com. (2019). sign | Origin and meaning of sign by Online Etymology Dictionary. [online] Available at: https://www.etymonline.com/word/sign [Accessed 3 Apr. 2019].

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wall panel made of fabrics and fake pearls on wood frame.

The layering of different fabrics and the big wound on this work are the things that most catch my attention. I feel like almost all of Renato Dibi's works often remind me of flesh and movement, due to the red and the organic forms he explores.
I think his work, and specifically this one, are a strong reference to me mostly in the aesthetic area because, in this project, wanting to illustrate something that is so fluid and raw, like menstruation, fabric might be one of the best options to achieve the body tissue aesthetic I am looking for.
Anon, (2019). [image] Available at: https://www.renatodib.com/sanguinea-ensemble?lightbox=dataItem-inq6ta5k [Accessed 4 Apr. 2019].

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This is another Renato Dibi piece that I found to be a great source of aesthetic exploration to me because of the translucent fabrics on this. It is easy to create interesting images and textures by layering different fabrics. For example, on this one, the red and brown stripes remind me of GUTS from inside the human body.
Anon, (2019). [image] Available at: https://www.renatodib.com/sanguinea-ensemble?lightbox=dataItem-inq6ptko [Accessed 4 Apr. 2019].

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I liked how some of the canvas were displayed in the exhibition, with a little wood square and a thin wire. I guess I could incorporate that idea if I decide to commit to a single panel outcome.