The Menopause Initiative ran a competition to commission Aboriginal artwork in 2023. The theme for the competition was Women’s Business – Exploring the Menopause Journey for Aboriginal People.
The artworks will enable ACI and NSW healthcare professionals to:
- understand the needs of Aboriginal people when they transition through menopause
- enhance engagement with Aboriginal communities
- raise awareness of the menopause experience for Aboriginal people.
Carissa Barbara Paglino - Menopause Journeys
Winner and People's Choice Award
The artwork explores the menopause journey for Aboriginal women, helps raise awareness of Aboriginal women's experiences in their menopause journeys as well as improving collaboration between healthcare providers and Aboriginal communities. I hope the artwork brings comfort to Aboriginal women experiencing menopause and helps to create a welcoming atmosphere and safe space for sharing their stories. Pastel colours and flowers create a feminine look, contrasted by bold lines. The artwork features symbols for pathways, communities, women and fertility. The central image represents female reproductive organs. Sand is running through like an hourglass representing time, aging and transformation into middle age.
Jessica Tobin - Healing Waters
Runner Up Award
My artwork is about the journey of menopause for Aboriginal women. Water is a healing place for women and in traditional times women birthed in the birthing pools. In later stages of life women become teachers to young women and guide them through these body changes. The journey to each waterhole represents the different pathways through a woman's life cycle. At each water hole there is more women sitting at each water hole to show that women have been there before you and you are never alone in your journey through woman hood and all its changes.
Belinda Coe - Journey of Women's Business
Runner Up Award
My picture and symbols depicts the flows of dealing with menopause, the ups and downs, the showing of symptoms, the journey, but importantly the connection we have as Aboriginal women and the ability to support each other whilst living together on Country.