In June 2013, I curated and preformed in the “Menopause Room”, one of 21 rooms in this installation/performance of Rites of Passage at the Whitney Center for the Arts in Pittsfield, MA. In the Menopause Room I "performed" for the first time in 30 years and found an edge of encouragement and growth. I used the snake as my metaphor for the transformation of Menopause: skipping rope with it, winding and slipping it around people's necks or through their feet or whipping the floor with it. I represented the concept of menopause not as its stereotypical hormonal and erratic sweat, but as the shedding of another skin, freedom, creative energy and renewed authority; fertile in a new realm.


The performance in its entirety was created by & directed by Pooja Ru Prema of Rogue Angel Theatre.


For more information on the Rites of Passage project, visit https://www.ritesofpassageproject.org/

Rites of Passage/Menopause Room- Entrance
2013
Mixed Media
Rites of Passage/Menopause Room
2013
Mixed Media installation
Rites of Passage/Menopause Room
2013
Installation and Performance
photo /Sabine Von Falken
Rites of Passage/Menopause Room
2013
Installation/Performance
photo /Sabine Von Falken
Rites of Passage/Menopause Performance
2013
photo/ Peggy Reeves
Rites of Passage/Menopause Performance
2013
photo: Peggy Reeves
Rites of passage/Menopause Room- detail
2013
photo/ Peggy Reeves
Rites of passage/ Menopause Room-working altar
2013
Mixed Media
Rites of Passage/Menopause Room
2013
Installation/Performance photo/ Sabine Von Falken
Rites of Passage/Menopause Room - working altar
2013
Mixed media photo/ Peggy Reeves
Rites of Passage/ Menopause Room
2013 (sculpture from 2001,"Something Important Being Held Very Tenderly")
Mixed Medias
Rites of Passage/Menopause Room
2013
Mixed Medias- performance Photo/ Peggy Reeves
Rites of passage/Menopause Room
2013
Mixed Medias
Rites of Passage/Menopause Room-Performance
2013
Photo/ Peggy Reeves
Rites of Passage/Menopause Room-detail
2013
Mixed Media Photo/ Peggy Reeves
Rites of Passage/ Sisterhood Room
2013
Gouache Paintings and Sculpture/Listening Device 2008
Photo/ Sabine Von Falken
These pieces were selected for this room as the idea of listening interplays with Sisterhood as well as each ear "portrait" being a representation of an individual person,many of women. Refer to BLOOM Gallery on this web site.
Rites of Passage/Birth Canal in collaboration with Sarah Nicholson
2013
mixed medias Photo/ Sabine Von Falken