Embracing the current obsession with period blood that has been circulating the media in recent weeks, one artist has put a call out asking women to donate their samples as part of her art project. Just this week, feminist Louelle Denor decided to take a stand against period shaming, while a wave of controversy this year kicked off when Instagram started removing images of women menstruating. The taboo was heightened further when people criticised runner Kiran Ganghi who decided to ‘free-bleed’ during the London marathon. Now artist Poppy Jackson wants to take away the stigma surround period blood – by placing a call for menstrual blood donations in London and Bradford. Speaking about her project, Poppy said her unusual supply request has already gotten the approval from her family: “My stepfather just asks me to make sure it is properly sealed container before putting it back in family fridge. It is just blood now – just something else I am working with.” This is the second time the artist will use period blood, having previously performed a live piece of work ‘Television Lounge’ where she stood for seven hours in the corner of an old Police Headquarters whilst blood dripped out of her where the staff room television would sit. Poppy says her artwork allows her to express her political choices, adding: “My performance art led me to recognise how the body is political. It can do so many things and is just an amazing vehicle to say something about the state of society with – everyone has a body so people can all relate in some way.” Poppy is defending herself against claims that her latest project is a publicity stunt, arguing: “The collectivity (of the menstrual blood) is a response to the distance the Internet places between people’s bodies in contemporary society. These days we go to the Internet for a lot of things and it loses that one-to-one flavour that you would get with your doctor. “The human contact of speaking is replaced by isolated online activity, so through use of the substance of people’s bodies I’m hoping to bring some of that closeness back.” Jackson also recognises that while performing with other people’s blood, her risk of disease is higher due to any potential infections that won’t be screened before use. H/T Dazed Digital