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Lalla Essaydi — Converging Territories #22
Lalla Essaydi

Converging Territories #22

In this striking chromogenic print triptych, Lalla Essaydi layers the female form with intricate Arabic calligraphy inscribed directly onto skin, fabric, and surrounding surfaces, dissolving the boundaries between body and text. The flush-mounted panels work together to create a seamless, enveloping space where traditional Moroccan architectural elements merge with the intimate presence of the figure. Essaydi challenges Orientalist representations of Arab women by reclaiming the visual language of her own culture, transforming the act of writing into an assertion of identity and agency.

Medium
Chromogenic print triptych, flush-mounted.

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Photographs

October 8, 2015

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About this work

Lalla Essaydi, Converging Territories #22

In this striking chromogenic print triptych, Lalla Essaydi layers the female form with intricate Arabic calligraphy inscribed directly onto skin, fabric, and surrounding surfaces, dissolving the boundaries between body and text. The flush-mounted panels work together to create a seamless, enveloping space where traditional Moroccan architectural elements merge with the intimate presence of the figure. Essaydi challenges Orientalist representations of Arab women by reclaiming the visual language of her own culture, transforming the act of writing into an assertion of identity and agency.

Medium
Chromogenic print triptych, flush-mounted.
Seen at
Phillips, New York, London, Hong Kong

Related themes

Contemporary Photographer, Orientalism Critique, Figure Study, Warm Earth Tones, Muted Earth Tones, Contemplative Mood, Figurative Photography, Triptych Format, Calligraphic Text, Orientalism Subverted, Moroccan Artist, Contemporary Photography, Calligraphic Overlay, Chromogenic Print, 21st Century, Calligraphy Overlay, Postcolonial Art, Female Artist, Cultural Identity

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