Menstruation Machine, Takashi’s Take.
‘It’s 2010, so why are humans still menstruating?’
As a female artist I had one big question I wanted to solve.
The pill free, bleeding interval was devised when the contraceptive pill first came out, only because it was felt by doctors that women would find having no periods too unacceptable (since the 1960s, taking the pill continuously could have removed periods all together) The doctors may think that women are psychologically attached to their periods, but only humans, apes and bats out of all mammals need to bleed monthly for their reproductive cycle. What does Menstruation mean, biologically, culturally and historically, to humans? Who might choose to have it, and how might they have it?
Fitted with a blood dispensing mechanism and lower-abdomen-stimulating electrodes, the Menstruation Machine is a device which simulates the pain and bleeding of an average 5 day menstruation process of a human (well…I have done my best to simulate my own, at least).
The machine is not worn only by men, but also by women when menstruation may become obsolete in the future and the process becomes a mere ritual of gender and identity. The music video illustrates just one example of many possibilities of how and by whom this machine can be used.
‘Menstruation Machine – Takashi’s Take’ is a video about a boy Takashi, who builds the machine in an attempt to dress up as a female, biologically as well as aesthetically, to fulfill his desire to understand what it might feel like to be a truely ‘girly’ girl. He determinedly wears the machine to hang out with his girly friend in Tokyo, but…
「生理マシーン、タカシの場合。」
「ボクはオンナノコになりたい、オンナノコの気持ちをもっと知りたいーー！！」
そんな想いから、こっそり女装を始めるようになった不思議少年＜タカシ＞
しかし彼はガーリーな外見を装うだけでは満足出来ず
女性特有の生物現象である＜月経／Menstruation＞までも
身に着けるために＜生理マシーン＞を作る。
女性の平均月経量である８０mlを５日間かけてタンクから流血し、
下腹部についた電極がリアルで鈍い生理痛を装着者に体感させる＜生理マシーン＞
タカシはそれを自ら着けて友人と夜のまちへ出かけるが．．．！？
PROJECT CREDITS
Photography:
Product Design: Naoki Kawamoto
Photography: Rai Royal
Set Design: Sam Frances
Make Up: Hiroe Tomikawa
Music Video:
Music and Lyrics by Sputniko!
Sound Production: DJ Codomo
Video Production: AUG5, Inc.
Director: Yasuhito Tsuge
Producer: Hidetaka Ino
Director of Photography: Takahiro Motonami
Stylist: Shoko Sei
Fashion: galaxxxy, MANIAC WORKS , chimaniamu, Emma Lundgren, Amakiru, Grace Du Prez, Anna Schwamborn,
Hair: Yuki Akagi
Make Up: Kanta Mukasa
Research Guidance: Prof. Jan Brosens, Imperial College London, Department of Medicine
Shoot Location Provided by: Bullet’s Nishiazabu