Menstrual Muses is a participatory installation and soft sculpture project that explores menstruation, cyclical bodies, and menstrual stigma through care, storytelling, and collective engagement. At the center of the installation is a five-meter soft sculpture of a menstruating figure, created to occupy space unapologetically and make visible experiences that are often hidden, stigmatized, or dismissed.

Constructed from velvet, embroidery, beads, and hand-sewn textiles, the sculpture invites viewers to sit, reflect, and contribute their own experiences. Participants are encouraged to respond to prompts about menstruation, bodily experiences, and memory, creating a growing archive of personal stories and collective care.

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The project emerged from my MFA thesis research at the Rhode Island School of Design and introduces the Care-Based Communication Framework, which proposes softness, participation, and care as communication strategies for addressing stigmatized subjects. By combining sculpture, illustration, research, and community participation, Menstrual Muses investigates how art and design can create spaces for dialogue, visibility, and healing.

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Through materiality, scale, and interaction, the installation challenges the invisibility of menstruation while advocating for a world in which cyclical bodies can occupy space without shame or apology.