Iâm so grateful to have shown âtoxic shock syndromeâ at Something Fierce this past weekend
@flux_factory curated by the fabulous
@ameliapractice .
This work is made of tampons, epoxy resin and a UV light. It took many different forms at the lively opening, into the following day, where it was on the floor next to a moving performance by
@andrea_haenggi who was also on the floor with her beautiful slice of tree.
Tampons are considered single-use, disposable materials, turning to trash, after being used by people with vaginas to absorb blood. Tampons often contain plastic and microplastics, in addition to harmful chemicals which permeate the bodies of millions of people. Yet theyâre necessary to absorb (and conceal) menstruation, perimenopause and other processes which cause bleeding from the vagina. When they turn to trash, they pollute, and when theyâre used as intended, they can both help and harm; every box of tampons contains a warning that leaving it in the body for too long may cause toxic shock syndrome, a potentially deadly bacterial infection. Iâve been using tampons as a sculptural material to explore the relationship between bodies, gender-based violence, disposability and notions of value and waste in our culture.
This work is a kind of lamp, utilizing a UV light, which is used to disinfect surfaces in medical environments. It is inspired by Irish holy wells, which are private altars in nature, often hidden, tended to by community members and historical preservationists. These wells have pre-Christian roots and are believed to have healing properties related to the source of water, environment, rituals and dedicated local saints. This work interrogates which parts of our lives we privately and individually absorb, and how these experiences are intertwined with, and often determined by, greater ecological and social systems.
