‘Trophy’

A hand sewn tapestry comprised of menstruation pads, ‘Trophy’ unpicks the history of the tapestry and weaves it into the stigmatised and economic burden weighed upon bodies with uteruses when in need of sanitary products. Upon mining the archive, the tapestry was a symbol of wealth and status and depicted subjects of high value. The sculptural installation recontextualises this into body politics by depicting sanitary products which prove costly over time, are censored and thus stigmatised, but are simultaneously essential for the body under social and hygienic constructs. Thus, the work continues the tapestry’s motif of economy and depiction of valuable subjects. Additionally, the ritualistic nature of creating a tapestry mimic that of the menstrual cycle and purchasing pads. Thus, the work functions to dismantle the taboo of sanitary products through increasing visibility, redefining them as ‘beautiful’ in their significance but also underlining their exorbitant status.