about the project

The menstrual cycle is often compared to the four seasons of nature, as each phase reflects the energy, mood, and qualities of winter, spring, summer, and autumn.

In 2024, photographer and founder of unboxing cycles Maja Juzwiak accompanied ten women from across Switzerland, each with different backgrounds, to symbolically portray their four menstrual cycle phases in nature, aligned with the corresponding seasons.

Before each shoot, Maja held a brief conversation to understand each woman's experience of that phase and to explore together how best to capture it in images, making the final image a result of co-creation

The result is a collection of 40 photographs that tell the personal stories of these women and reveal the unique emotional landscapes they experience throughout their cycles. It is an inward journey that illustrates how our perceptions, emotions, and energies shift as we move through the different phases of the menstrual cycle.

The aim of the series is to raise awareness, share knowledge and (finally) open the conversation. It also serves as an invitation for each one to look at it with curiosity.

*This project did not include individuals who menstruate but do not identify as women, nor those with conditions such as endometriosis or PCOS. This was due to time and availability constraints at the start of the project.