hqq – LookingOutwards10 – sputniko!

Hi guys! This week, I’m profiling one of my favorite new media artists, Sputniko!. I met Sputniko! [sic] when I visited the MIT Media Lab where she is an instructor

a few years ago and learned a lot about her work as an artist working in a field dominated by men. Much of her work posits questions about these double standards. One of my favorite works of hers is a music video she created called Menstruation Machine.

^The music video project which combines computational story development with reproductive and trans-rights.

The music video tells the story of Takashi, a trans woman who, before undergoing transition, explores the idea of a post-transition lifestyle through understanding menstruation. She creates a “menstruation machine” to experience these. Though controversial, Sputniko! explored this issue while it was still uncomfortable for many to talk about while using people’s comments as an expose on how people react to such issues.

She uses computational effects throughout this video, and it succeeds in making a machinic flow throughout the video while creating a story that successfully does the same thing.