Petra Mattheis (born 1967 in Moers) is a German Artist und Photographer. She became known for her artistic engagement with the topic menstruation.
Biography Mattheis studied communications design at the University of Applied Sciences Wiesbaden and graduated in 1994 with a diploma. She studied Fine Arts at the Akademie für Bildende Künste Mainz from 2002 to 2006 and finished with a diploma as well. From 2007 bis 2009 she was a student in the master class of Joachim Blank at the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig.Ausgezeichnete Dissertationen 2006/2007 , Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, (PDF) S. 48 f.Balmoral- und Landesstipendiatinnen und -Stipendiaten 2016
Works With her website Become A MenstruatorBecome A Menstruator, becomeamenstruator.org, 2015 as well as with installations and prints, Mattheis investigates menstruation in an artistic, playful approach, questions cultural-historical developments and today's way of dealing with one's own body in our society.Tobias Maier: Jawohl, Mann! Menstruation und Mythos: Petra Mattheis stellt blutrote Prints von Haien, Bären und Tampons aus, der Freitag, 18. Juli 2015 Each motif of the blood-red prints in her series BAM – Become a Menstruator corresponds to a fertile year in the life of the artist. While each print is a handmaid original, the size of the edition corresponds with the sum of the periods she had during this year. Thus, Mattheis not only addresses a taboo,Okka Rohd: Menstruation: Das rote Tuch , Mai 2016 her works also receive an autobiographical character.Caroline Ausserer: Der Werwolf in mir, Interview with Petra Mattheis, 22. Juli 2015
Solo exhibitions 2006: Überwiegend Schwarz auf Weiß, Nassauischer Kunstverein WiesbadenPetra Mattheis / Mainly black on white , Nassauischen Kunstverein Wiesbaden, 21 and 22 December 2006 2009: Pulsierender Pfirsich, Kuhturm, LeipzigKuhturm Leipzig 2011: Hinter den Worten, Gallery Queen Anne, Tapetenwerk, LeipzigPortfolio Petra Mattheis, Gallery Queen Anne, 21 June 2011Poetisches Forum – Hinter den Worten – Petra Mattheis, 20 August 2011 2015: Arts and Crafts Week at Panty Camp, Gallery The Grass is Greener, LeipzigPetra Mattheis: »Arts & Crafts Week at Panty Camp«, Gallery The Grass is Greener, 20 June to 25 July 2015»Become a Menstruator«, Petra Mattheis in conversation with Mithu Sanyal, Gallery The Grass is Greener 2017: Riding the Red Tide, Museum der bildenden Künste, LeipzigRiding the Red Tide, Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig 2018: Become a Menstruator Booth, Museum der bildenden Künste, LeipzigBecome a Menstruator Booth, Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig 2019: Shark Weeks, Atelierfrankfurt, FrankfurtShark Weeks, Atelierfrankfurt 2022: Wantalon App, Parcours #zeitzseeing #zeitzseeing, Zeitz 2023: Am Fluß, Kalktor, ZeitzAm Fluß, Zeitz
Selected group exhibitions 2004: Zwischen, Nassauischer Kunstverein Wiesbaden, with Ilka MeyerZwischen, Nassauischer Kunstverein Wiesbaden 2011: East of Fresno, group exhibition for contemporary art, The Hatchery Art Space, Badger, CaliforniaGroup Show: The Hatchery: East of Fresno, Artslant, 24 September 2011 2012: Schläft ein Lied in allen Dingen, Bellevuesaal with Klaus Lomnitzer, WiesbadenSchläft ein Lied in allen Dingen , Kunstverein Bellevue-Saal, 3 to 27 May 2012
Awards and scholarships 2006: Förderstipendium der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz 2007: Preis der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz 2016: Project grant from the state of Rhineland-Palatinate 2021: Denkzeit-Stipendium, Kulturstiftung des Freistaates Sachsen 2022: Modul C, BBK Innovative Kunstprojekte Projektförderung 2022: Neustart Kultur, Stipendium 2022: Work grant, Stiftung Kunstfonds 2023: Award for "Gespräche über Kohle" (Conversations about coal) 2023: Project funding for Parcour "Schatten" (Zeitz) of the Wantalon App, Kunststiftung Sachsen-Anhalt
Publications Nassauischer Kunstverein e.V.: Petra Mattheis und Ilka Meyer. Catalog of the exhibition Zwischen – Petra Mattheis, Ilka Meyer, 9 May to 13 June and 29 June to 11 July 2004; Part of the exhibition series Perspektiven der Zukunft. With contributions by Christian Rabanus, Botho Strauß and Ilka Meyer. NKV, Wiesbaden 2004 Mithu Sanyal: Vulva, Die Enthüllung des unsichtbaren Geschlechts, Verlag Klaus Wagenbach, 2017, S. 202–203, S. 210 Barbara Streidl: feminismus, Reclam-Verlag, 2019, S. 12–13 Mithu Sanyal: Identitti, consonni Verlag, Spanien, 2023, Titelcover MDR Documentary by Maksym Melnyk „East“: Accompanying the development of „Am Fluß“, Zeitz 2023
References
External links Official Website of Petra Mattheis Project Become A Menstruator Project Wunderwesten