“Charm for Bleeding Women” is inspired by my familial roots in Braucherei, a folk magic system practiced in Pennsylvania German culture. The performance referenced the structure of the folk charm to generate a protective spell for the female body and cycles of bleeding that are present from first menstruation through menopause.

The work was performed at a white clothed table and was bookended by a cleansing ritual, in which I took milk from a bowl into my mouth and spat it out into a second bowl. I pressed a circle of cherries with my palm, measured my body with a red ribbon which had been dipped into red fluid, and cut a slit into the bodice of my dress. The gestures of staining and cutting were repeated three times, and then followed by an act of mending, as I stitched the wounds on the front of my dress.

“Charm for Bleeding Women”

Bless Hands

Move milk (from bowl to mouth to second bowl)

Press cherries with palm to make a stain circle

Red ribbon into red fluid

Measure body

Wound dress

Red ribbon into red fluid

Measure body

Wound dress

Red ribbon into red fluid

Measure body

Stitch dress wounds with red thread

Stitch red ribbon to dress

Move milk

Bless hands