The world celebrates Menstrual Hygiene Day on 28 May every year. However, if you try to start a conversation around the subject you will feel the atmosphere in the room change dramatically. Why this happens has always left most of us confused. Even amongst grown women, the ‘period talk’ is reserved for the company of other women, that too behind closed doors. Is it time to defend the fictitious charge against menstruation? Isn’t it time for all of us to rise above the age-old taboo and celebrate the natural phenomenon of the monthly period?
We look at artist Maanya Dhar’s Period Diaries to effectively start the conversation and banish the social stigma of menstruation. Her powerful artwork designed around the alphabetical series (A to Z) perfectly encapsulates the various moods and emotions that women go through during their monthly period. The series that she had started three years ago still sparks compassionate dialogue around the topic. In a recent interview with Homegrown, she talks about this powerful series and her hope of giving way to a positive conversation around the subject.
What is your art series about?
The Period Diaries is a project that’s very dear to me. It began when I saw the 36 Days of Type challenge on Instagram and since I had just finished my second year of college, I decided to give it a go.
I have always loved the female form, so I knew I wanted to do something centred around women. Menstruation is something that is still not spoken about freely around the world. Thus, by combining the two, The Period Diaries was born.
I derived a lot of these emotions and symptoms a woman faces during their period from my personal experiences and the women around me. I wanted to show the many emotions a woman experiences during that time and while I still haven’t covered it all, it’s definitely a start. Initially, the graphic depiction of the different body types and the red blood made a lot of people uncomfortable, which is exactly what I wanted. I wanted them to feel uncomfortable and then ponder over why they feel this way.
This is something that happens to almost every woman in the world for the majority of their lives, yet is still not spoken of openly. I wanted to show the reality of menstruation—the good, the bad, the ugly. I don’t believe that it is something awful, nor is it always beautiful; a striking mixture of the two and several other things.
The Period Diaries is meant to be a conversation starter—why do you like it, why do you hate it and why are you scrolling past it. When one questions their feelings towards this, they are bound to realise how messed up the taboo around it is.
It’s not something we control but rather live with, so why not share that with the world? Why be alone in this when you are truly not! Hiding sanitary napkins in dark coloured polythene bags or hiding your tampon as you rush to the loo in a public place is not right. Own it, accept it, talk about it! I do believe that menstruation should be a topic warranting a free discussion with anyone instead of being classified as simply ‘girl talk.’
Can you tell us about your favourite artwork from you?
The Period Diaries! This series has been close to my heart and it’s a subject I feel very strongly about. The way I have shown these women is also important according to me because women are often seen as these angelic or highly sexualised beings whereas the reality is we’re all beautiful hairy, lumpy monsters. This reality paired with the reality of bleeding every month— just blood, not some weird blue liquid— can be off-putting to some, but I see beauty in that too. There is beauty in the imperfect bodies, the messy bleeding and the crazy mood swings.
What inspires your creative process?
I grew up in a creative home with art surrounding me so it comes as no surprise that I was always drawn to it. Going to college and getting exposed to new experiences and people only enhanced my creative eye and love for all things quirky.
I’ve always been drawn to bright and bold colours which are now a huge part of all my work. I find inspiration and beauty in all kinds of things and people. I find that even the tackiest, loudest objects have a beauty of their own.
I’m a reserved, introverted person and perhaps that’s why I like bold things. Regardless of whether I like something or not, if it’s bold enough to make it irresistible, it fascinates me.
Whose work are you crushing currently?
Ah, there are so many! These are some of the artists I can’t get enough of,
Sameer Kulavoor (@sam_kulavoor) - Artist
Damini Gupta (@haraminii) - Illustrator & visual artist
Jasjyot Singh Hans (@jasjyotjasjyot) - Indian illustrator from Baltimore
Chaaya Prabhat (@chaaya23) - Illustrator and designer based in Chennai
Get to know Maanya better...
Groovy tunes you can’t get enough of?
Your version of vice?
Obsessing over my monstera. I had a dream last night of its big lush shiny leaves and I woke up drooling.
Feature Image Credit: Maanya Dhar
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