Moorish Woman 2008

In Lalla Essaydi's photograph, ‘Moorish Woman’, the artist paints calligraphy in henna on the surfaces of her subjects’ skin and clothing, as well as the walls and floors of the interiors they occupy. I can imagine Essaydi carefully applying the henna to her models and the surfaces around them. The sepia tonality is so visually rich and gives a feeling of warmth. Each marking holds a resonance, layered onto the surface of her photograph. The effect is a mesmerizing all-over composition where the figure almost disappears. The image shimmers with meaning that feels both deeply personal and culturally resonant. I wonder whether the marks are truly legible. Can anyone decipher them? Is that the point? I like that Essaydi's work disrupts expectations and traditions, offering a space where identity, culture, and representation can be explored in ways that resist easy categorization. Ultimately, it is the artist’s unique vision that allows us to consider new possibilities in mark-making, as well as the stories we tell ourselves and others.