Bizarre or trending subjects, catch a break with our curiosity of the week. In Vous êtes de sang bleu (You are of blue blood, ed.), Lisa Miquet parodies menstruation ads. A kitschy series breaking taboos surrounding a natural phenomenon.
“I have never understood menstruation ads. They seem so far removed from reality. We see women roller-skating and going on rollercoasters… It almost feels like we enjoy having our period!”,
says Lisa Miquet, a French photographer and video maker. Specialising in portraiture, the artist develops series around feminist and taboo topics. With a disarming humour, she invites the viewers to question themselves, to challenge the media representation of natural phenomenon – deemed ‘dirty’ – and its impact. “I have often heard “oh no, please don’t talk about this”, or “ew” from men – and even women – when such topics are tackled. Yet, periods are an important healthcare topic”, she adds.
A fresh and clever parody
Choosing a kitschy aesthetics, reminiscent of the 80s and a pink background – both symbols of a retrograde way of looking at things – Lisa Miquet reinterprets periods. Vous êtes de sang bleu, an amusing series, draws inspiration from publicity campaigns for sanitary products – each one more surreal than the next. “People have no problem watching blood spurt in a Tarantino movie, or witnessing a bloodbath on Game of Thrones, yet, period blood still lacks representation. Some companies, like American brand Kotex have represented blood with red glitter. Dish soap, glitter… Shouldn’t we advocate a more realistic representation?” the photographer asks.
In this sanitised universe – dominated by a deliciously old-fashioned soft focus – the models proudly let their blue blood flow. Among the photographed women, stands Dora Moutot, creator of the feminist Instagram account @tasjoui, who shows off her soaking wet fingers, covered with the strange liquid – a long-awaited liberation. Committed, Vous êtes de sang bleu breaks taboos with a certain lightness. A fresh and clever parody “opening up a dialogue, so that every person experiencing periods can feel more at ease with their bodies and their fluids.”
© Lisa Miquet / Hans Lucas
