Revisited #4 2008

Lalla Essaydi made this photograph, Revisited #4, and others like it, using henna on surfaces like skin and fabric. There’s a flattening out of the image, like the figures are part of the backdrop. It's as if Essaydi considers the construction of the image as a process of layering and merging different elements into a cohesive whole. The texture created by the henna is matte and granular, which absorbs light and gives the image a soft, diffused quality. The color palette is restricted to a range of earth tones, beige, and browns, unified by the henna. There’s a patch of script to the left of the figure on the left where the henna is darker, bolder, and more pronounced. This contrast draws attention to the act of writing, underscoring its importance in the work. Essaydi’s work reminds me of Shirin Neshat's, in that both artists explore themes of identity and representation within the context of Islamic culture.