Periodical Exhibition
Periodical Exhibition Curated by Bee Hughes
15th – 28th November 2018 Periodical is an exhibition of menstrual art, photography, and archival material exploring and challenging cultural ideas about periods in the UK and Nepal. We invite people of all ages and genders to come together to break the cycle of secrecy and misinformation that has contributed to the stigmatisation of menstruation, period poverty, and harmful practices and restrictions that impact the everyday lives of people who menstruate. Whether you are a menstrual maestro or curious about cycles, Periodical is a shame-free space to discuss menstruation for people who do and do not menstruate.
The Being Human Festival theme for 2018 - ‘Origins and Endings’ - is threaded throughout this exhibition. Menstruation is often seen as the beginning of life as an adult for adolescent girls with menarche (the first period in a menstruators life) considered a rite of passage. Equally, menopause - the ending of the menstrual cycle - is considered by many to be the beginning of a new phase of life. Periodical presents some of the origins of our cultural attitudes to menstruation shaped by medicine and media representations, and suggests ways to change prevailing negative associations through new representations and education, bringing periods fuss-free into our everyday conversations.
Join us to explore attitudes to menstruation in the late 20th century though our cabinets of specially selected items from the LJMU Femorabilia Archive of magazines for girls and women. Through thematically curated displays, we invite you to think about the similarities and differences in advertising messages from the 1960s to the 1990s and consider key ideas used to sell menstrual products. We round off our vitrine displays by contrasting the mainstream and commercial perspectives found in advertising materials with examples of educational publications and zines.
Artworks by Bee Hughes ask us to question stigma around menstruation and the menstruating body as both unclean and overly sexualised, and challenges the medicalised notion of a regular and regulated menstrual cycle that happens like clockwork for all people who menstruate. Bee’s visual works explore her own experience of menstruating, while her poetic works deconstruct the language of menstrual health advice, questioning the rigid use of gendered language that often conflates the ability to menstruate with womanhood. Her recently published analysis of UK health advice websites found their language reflects rigid and binary notions of gender, and present menstruation as a problem to be  solved, but give little consideration to alternatives to commercial, disposable menstrual products.
Amanda Atkinson’s installation lays bare the financial cost of menstruating, underscoring the need for universal access to free menstrual products. The issue of period poverty and its relevance to wider social problems linked to the UK Government’s policies of economic austerity is highlighted by the work of the Homeless Period Liverpool to provide menstrual products to homeless people, school pupils and food bank users across Merseyside.
Poulomi Basu’s photographs investigate the causes and consequences of ritual violence against Nepali women through the practice of ‘chaupadi’ which exiles  menstruating women from the home.  The photos are not those of passive victims but of a courage in the face of extreme adversity. The women have come forward to share their stories and break menstrual taboos. The project is a  form of dissent and protest. Poulomi has played a huge role in putting pressure on the Nepalese government to ban the practice of chaupadi, a practice finally made illegal in August 2017. Nonetheless, a huge amount of work remains: chaupadi is much more than an issue of law and order.
Sara Parker and Kay Standing’s installation reflects their British Academy funded collaborative  research on menstruation in Nepal which focuses on the right to a dignified menstruation. Working with local partners across Nepal it explores artefacts and stories around menstruation they  aim to develop in-depth understanding of nuances of religious, social and cultural beliefs underpinning menstrual stigmas and exclusionary practices, in order to challenge these at the local level.
Chella Quint’ is a dedicated campaigner and leading expert on menstrual education. She is an author, comedian, designer, writer and researcher who coined the term ‘period positive’. As founder of the #periodpositive campaign, Chella makes a huge contribution to dispelling stigma and opening up discussions about periods in the UK and around the world. Described as a ‘force of nature’ by Shami Chakrabarti, all aspects of Chella’s work is infused with careful research and her signature sense of humour.
Sasha Spyrou’s illustrations invite us into a world where everyday objects become uncanny characters. Her work has been described as having an enchanted quality, conjuring a fantastical world with colourful narratives and histories woven around characters. Sasha’s illustrations are deceptively lighthearted, fusing charm and uncanny nostalgia with a deeply thoughtful edge.
Thanks to Emma Ashman, Jennifer Lynch, Emily Parsons, Rebecca Smith, Milos Simpraga, Kay Standing, LJMU Special Collections and Archives, The Homeless Period Liverpool and all contributing artists.
This event is part of the national Being Human festival of the humanities, which will be taking place in around 50 towns and cities across the UK between 15-24 November.
Being Human is the only national festival dedicated entirely to celebrating research across the humanities – from archaeology, history, languages, philosophy and more. This year the festival explores the theme of ‘Origins and Endings’. Being Human aims to make the humanities accessible and fun for all, and is run by the School of Advanced Study, University of London in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy.
