She comes from Mexico, but has been living and working in the Netherlands for quite some time now: artist Emelly Velasco. Pregnancy, childbirth, sisterhood and the magic of the menstrual cycle – these themes form the common thread in her abstract artworks. Her first solo exhibition Red Astral opens on Saturday, September 7. On 21 September she’ll also give a lecture: From blood to gold.
Where does this fascination come from? The answer to that question turns out to be quite personal. More precisely: the experience that something beautiful like the birth of your first child can result in a traumatic event. Velasco: ‘I almost bled to death.’ Her work doesn’t necessarily have to do with breaking taboos. ‘I myself was extensively informed about menstruation. By my father – he was a doctor.’ She does, however, think that a little more appreciation for the female cycle is justified.
Tribute to women
That’s why with her artworks, she invites us to reflect on the beauty of the menstrual cycle – a condition for being able to produce new life – but she also pays tribute to the women who had to pay a high price for this, for example because they died in childbirth.
Red Astral is, as mentioned, her first solo exhibition. Astral stands for immaterial. The energy of the soul that can be released from the human body, for example after a traumatic experience such as a serious accident. Red of course stands for the colour red – present in all shades. Red is also a wink at the Spanish term for network (conexión de red). ‘For me, it’s about the connection with women of my bloodline; because everyone comes from the womb in a certain way.’ Last but not least, red stands for blood, which is used as a medium not only figuratively, but also literally.
Powerful medium
‘The reactions to this are quite mixed,’ Velasco says by way of understatement. ‘Which is strange in itself. In ancient civilizations in Central America, blood was seen as a powerful medium, both for artistic expression and for fertility rituals. For example, the Aztecs assumed that the mother goddess of the earth needed human blood to make crops bloom. Women who died during childbirth – called Cihuateteo – were revered as warriors in Aztec mythology; they had an almost divine status. And in sacrificial rituals of the Mayans, men let their penises bleed as a symbol of menstruation.’
Abstract is her favorite genre. When asked about another source of inspiration – for example an artist she admires – the immediate answer is: Frida Kahlo. The famous Mexican surrealist artist (1907-1954). Not coincidentally, the first artist who dared to depict a very drastic event in a woman’s life on canvas in the 1930s: a miscarriage.
Menstrala
Velasco isn’t the first to be inspired by feminine themes such as abortion, pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage, an unfulfilled desire for children, or menstruation. She’s also not the first to use blood as a medium. Feminist artists such as Carolee Schneemann (US, 1939-2019), Kiki Smith (Germany, 1954) and Tracey Emin (UK, 1963) preceded her. In fact: menstrala, aka menstrual art, in which menstrual blood is used as a medium in painting and photography and/or the menstrual taboo is the main theme – could now be considered a separate genre. On Period! you’ll find several examples – just look at the Art category. In the Netherlands, however, Velasco is still the exception.
Red and gold
Emmely Velasco – originally trained as a brand manager and graphic designer – has been working as an autonomous and more or less autodidact artist for ten years now. She literally copied the art of painting from the painters for whom she modeled. In return, she sometimes received painting lessons. These have paid off. She now has several series to her name. La Femmale (2022) was also a monochrome series, but in black and white. The Art Healing Chroma series (2023) includes 33 works in all the colours of the rainbow. In Red Astral (2023-2024) the spectrum is red and gold.
Velasco’s work was previously on display in the Netherlands during the exhibition Schoonheid van de imperfectie in Leiden (until January 2023), the With the FAM Festival in Rotterdam (December 2023), Poter Vedere Oltre (POV) in The Hague and the Voorjaarsexpositie KS in The Hague (April 2024). In June of this year, her work was also displayed at the Spirit del Art Gallery in New York (US) and at the Museo Tuscolano Scuderie Aldobrandini in Rome (Italy), according to the Red Astral catalogue.
One to watch
Red Astral – Emelly Velasco. On view at MINA Gallery & Café, Weteringschans 69, 1017 RX Amsterdam. From Saturday 7 September to Friday 4 October 2024.
The lecture Red Astral: From blood to gold is held on Saturday 21 September, from 15:00 – 16:00.
Admission to the exhibition is free. The lecture costs 12 euros. Download/order your (free) admission tickets via this link.
More information about the artist at emellyvelasco.com.
More? Check our art category
Period! is an independent, online magazine about all aspects of menstruation. Period! is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. If you’re suffering from medical complaints, always visit your doctor or GP. Editorial articles can contain affiliate links. Sponsored collaborations can be found in the category Spotlight. Do you have any questions? Check our Contact page.
