Femina 3: La Femme, c'est moi. (Uta Lenk)

As my first two pieces in the femina series turned out rather different from each other I figured it wouldn't be much fun to try and make the third piece as one that puts coherence into it all. So after the textual representation of the series title for the first and the interpretation of Ana Mendieta's earthen line drawing in fabric for the second piece I went ahead with an idea about using a selfie photo of me. I am not much of a selfie-expert, nor a real fan, but I did take this one a few years ago and like it, probably due to the disshevelled hair, and I managed a great smile, and I loved those glasses! After all, I am femina, too, and a well-liked selfie is a good startingpoint for a fabric self-portrait, reasserting myself and my personal standing, to be included in this series: La Femme, c'est moi! 

I photoshopped the selfie and put it through various filters and then had these customprinted.

They were cut up and reassembled with inset narrow strips

and then arranged in the best setting.

An outline of my headshape was overlaid on top. Perhaps that should have been done in a slightly stronger contrast, but it is as it is now. The outline was attached with Herringbone embroidery stitch, which in German is called "Hexenstich" (witch's stitch), which I found a befitting name for a stitch to use, even if I don't consider myself very witchy. The glasses were jutted in there as well, although I am wearing a different pair now.

Head outline attached.

And the quilting is a quote from a source that I did not take note of, so can't give credit to, but wich functions as a good piece advice to myself as I tend to be a very strong critic of myself: "Forgive yourself for not knowing earlier what only time could teach."

The words are confined in the/my head, other parts are quilted with more or less parallel lines in various directions.

La Femme, c'est moi! (2026)

...

I thought it was finished. But I really didn't like the effect of the head-outline. I slept on it for one night, and asked a couple of friends for friendly advice. Then I took the scissors to the embroidery stitches and cut them up and removed the outline.

I am leaving the thread snippets in, even if they should fall out. That way a rest of the outline may still be visible.

Now there is no obvious head outline, although the text/quote is still confined to the head space. Hope it shows an effect on me!