Tactile Drawing - Proud Rebels - Philomena Essed

Description and Manual

Patricia Kaersenhout Proud Rebels - Philomena Essed 2015 Digital print on polyester with beads 112 by 111 cm Tactile drawing

In front of you, you will find a tactile drawing based on a digital print by Patricia Kaersenhout. It represents a woman's portrait. The Van Abbemuseum acquired three portraits of women from the Proud Rebels series. All three can be seen here and experienced as tactile drawings. Place the drawing on the lectern in order to feel it clearly.

The woman’s shoulders are perpendicular to the image plane: in profile.

She has turned her head towards us. This allows you to see her face for three quarters.

Try to discover the contour of the face, the cropped hair and her shoulders. Don't be distracted by the whimsical background. This consists of a fantasy pattern of elongated, curved horns.

The woman wears glasses and looks at us seriously and penetratingly.

The message 'dignity of life' is embroidered in purple, pink and blue. The word ‘dignity’ is embroidered on the left from top to bottom and is followed at the bottom by the words 'of life’.

In the otherwise sober black and white portrait, these coloured letters provide reflection.

Who is portrayed here?

It's Professor Dr Philomena Essed. Essed is best known for her dissertation Everyday Racism, which has also been published as a public publication. Essed is currently active worldwide at various universities.

Like the other two portraits, this portrait is part of the Proud Rebels series that Patricia Kaersenhout made as a tribute to the black feminist movement that emerged in 1985 under the name Flamboyant.

Text by Fleur Brom, museum teacher at the Van Abbemuseum.