Sputniko! (1985) is a Japanese artist and designer who makes products, movies and videos to investigate the impact of technology on our daily lives. She was wondering what menstruation means in a biologic, scientific and historical perspective. ‘And why do women still menstruate? It can be avoided by taking the contraceptive pill. The pill-free menstruating week was deliberately designed in the 1960s and appears to have been made up by doctors who thought women were attached to their menstruation.’

Fake-menstruation

Based on her own experiences, she came up with a menstruation machine that dispenses blood and simulates cramp for five days in a row. ‘The machine isn’t meant for men who want to experience how it is to be a woman, but could in the future – when menstruation perhaps doesn’t exist anymore – be worn by women who miss their periods.’ Very funny, but would there really be women longing for a fake-menstruation? Sputniko! was awarded the title of Woman of the Year by Vogue Japan in 2013 and has been named one of the 100 most influential people in Japan. She lives in Boston and New York.

Want to know more about Sputniko!? Visit Sputniko.com. See the video at  Vimeo.

More art?
Tam-pole
Art with adhesive strips
Menstrual Masterpieces
Tampon chandelier
Red Flag
On My Period