2022 Paper clay, sheetrock compound, cardboard, wood, rubber, polyurethane, neoprene, polyester, latex paint, acrylic gouache
The Pause Apothecary is a pseudo-pharmacy with comical pretend products designed to teach people about menopause and the stigma associated with it. F.Y. Eye commissioned the project to support their launch of the first national non-profit advocacy group to specifically focus on raising awareness around the experience of menopause, Let’s Talk Menopause. Menopause is a natural stage of life for half the population and yet it is a taboo subject. Many people, including those in the medical profession, do not understand menopausal symptoms, how to manage it, or even how to talk about it.
Taking the form of a fantastical pharmacy, the artwork examines social stigmas surrounding aging and infertility, and pushes back against the wide-spread devaluation of people’s personal experiences of menopause. It activated a space for sharing personal experiences around menopause and distributing educational information and workshops. The Pause Apothecary launched at Spring Break Art Show in New York City and is part of a growing movement to change the narrative around menopause, connecting to other healthcare issues that have been gendered and under-resourced, such as abortion access and gender-affirming care.
Installation
products
18 x 24 inches
Archival Inkjet Print
Purchasing this print will support my upcoming projects about menopause, including an artist book created in residence at Women’s Studio Workshop in New York.
Why is menopause non-binary? Firstly because it affects *everyone*. Regardless of the body you live in, someone you know and love will experience menopause in their lifetime. Peri-menopause and menopause often bring forth immense change and impacts in many areas of life: one’s sense of self, mental health, experiences of ageism and invisibility, our relationships…even career advancement and ability to retire.
Menopause is also non-binary because people of many genders can go through it and need support too! Like abortion access and gender-affirming care, menopause is under-resourced and stigmatized as gendered healthcare. In the US, medical students are not required to do *any* coursework on menopause. The majority of gynecologists do not have enough education on the subject…let alone the people experiencing it.
By supporting ourselves and everyone we know experiencing menopause, we can build solidarity across movements advocating for more access and resources for all to the healthcare they need.
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