Essity/Bodyform Pain Museum

Client: Essity Pain Museum
Film, Dir Hannah Berry George, Odelay

digital: Le Collective + in-house design (in collab with AMV)

Digital/interactive

176 million women globally suffer from endometriosis, and for many, excruciating pain is a part of their lives. It affects one in 10 women but takes an average of seven and a half years to be diagnosed due to the perceived notion that severe period pain is ‘normal’.​​​​​​​ We created the world’s first Pain Museum. But with all physical spaces closed during the pandemic we went digital and created a virtual space taking the viewer on an interactive journey, exploring real descriptions of pain through moving artworks, interviews and stories.We are closing the gender pain gap, one story at a time.

The Pain Museum was developed to explore the gender pain gap. The visual narrative journey starts with a visceral and blood red colour palette in the Experiencing Pain Zone as we confront the reality of the gender pain gap and hear first-hand experiences of pain and suffering. Wanting to hear sufferers’ stories first hand, we asked Lauren Mahon, who suffered from endometriosis in her early 20s, to tell her story and share her journey to diagnosis in a powerful video.Next the Ending Suffering Zone which contextualises pain through artwork. Each piece created is based on a unique understanding of pain from an endometriosis sufferer. Descriptions of the pain, including Inner Nails, Womb War, Bowling Ball Bruising have been brought to life by artists, many of which themselves have endometriosis. Collectively these artworks form the Pain Dictionary, which has been designed to help women define their pain to their GP.Finally, in Taking Action room,the backdrop lightens as we end in a place of optimism and hope for the future. The voice of hope is Dr Shireen, a GP in London specialising in women’s health who encourages people to open up the conversation around period pain, encouraging women to see their GP and to be persistent on getting treatment. The Pain Museum is hosted on the Libresse website and accessible in English, Russian, Hungarian, French, Spanish and Mandarin.

Featured:

https://www.bodyform.co.uk/break-taboos/our-campaigns/pain-stories/