written by Carol Torian and Kiki Piper
Kiki Partner has partnered with Drinking Gourd Gallery on a co-curating opportunity of the art exhibition M is for Menopause, Baby! currently taking place at Rocky Mount Mills in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
About M is for Menopause, Baby! Art Exhibition
Opening at Rocky Mount Mills on World Menopause Day, October 18, 2023, M is for Menopause, Baby! is a major group exhibition that will use art to raise awareness and challenge the myths, stereotypes, and stigma that surrounds the menopausal journey. Featuring more than 50 works from North Carolina artists— including vibrant paintings, works on paper, assemblage, and mixed media artwork — the exhibition celebrates the diversity and complexity of the menopausal experience. The exhibition is being presented by Drinking Gourd Gallery in partnership with Rocky Mount Mills, Kiki Piper, and UNC Health Nash.
Featured artists include Kristin Barta, Jacqueline S. Dulin, Michelle Franklin, Brenda Harris, Debra Johnson, Art Love and Rendon Foy, Darryl Matthews, KiKi Piper, Barbara Outterson, Corliss R. Owen, Maria Tavarez, Carol Torian, and many others.
The exhibition will be on display October 18 - November 15, 2023 in the main building located on the Rocky Mount Mills campus, next to the entrance of Prime Steakhouse.
What is Menopause?
By 2025, it’s estimated that 1.1 billion women will be experiencing menopause, or “The Change” as it is frequently called. Menopause is not a disease. Menopause is not a mental health condition. It is a natural part of the aging process when a woman has gone 12 months without a menstrual period. In the United States, the average age for menopause is 51. However, it can occur earlier in life. But what is menopause? What does it mean to be perimenopausal or postmenopausal? Too often, these normal life stages are spoken about negatively in hushed tones as if they’re something to be ashamed of or feared. Those with symptoms may be told it’s all in their mind and struggling can become normalized.
The M is for Menopause, Baby! exhibition will bring together creatives, healthcare practitioners, and health sciences librarians to help advance conversations about menopause and reframe the narrative on the subject.
Carol Torian, exhibition co-curator and Drinking Gourd Gallery founder, said, “By sharing our questions, concerns, insights, and humorous moments, through this exhibition, we can be a support and help to those who are on the menopausal journey. We can also be a beacon of light for pre-menopausal individuals, so they are better prepared and informed when they begin their menopausal journey.”
Kirsten Moore, exhibition co-curator and Kiki Piper founder, added, “This exhibition provides fresh insight about a subject that is still relatively taboo. There’s so much secrecy and silence about perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause, but together we can change that and have some meaningful discussions.”
Associated Engagement & Calendar of Events
The exhibition will be accompanied by a variety of in-person and virtual engagement programs at Rocky Mount Mills, Books & Beans, and Larema Coffee House. Programs include Let’s Talk About It: Menopause, Perimenopause, and Postmenopause, and Yesterday, I Cried: Menopause Grief & Loss, as well as an artists’ talk, art-making workshops, book discussions, a nutrition session, and a comedy event. Programming details will be posted on the Drinking Gourd Gallery website. All programing is free and open to the public. The exhibition will be featured on the Drinking Gourd Gallery website as well as on social media using the hashtag #MISFORMENOPAUSEBABY. See Calendar of Events below for all programing and events.
Additional Information
For more information about M is for Menopause, Baby! or other exhibitions hosted by Drinking Gourd Gallery, please click here.
Kiki Piper and Drinking Gourd Gallery are grateful to the exhibition partners, artists, presenters, and sponsors for their support and exceptional generosity. Your continued support throughout the exhibition allows us to make this event even better next year. To support our mission, please consider donating using our secure online platform here.
Exhibiting artwork is currently on sale and can be purchased here.
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