scroll installation

In 1998 I was invited by Iren Jensen, a woman artist from America whom I have never met, to take part in her project called scroll installation, together with 10 other women artists from all over the world.
Each woman got a textile material in the same size to express her original contribution for the installation that Iren wanted to realize.
Iren wrote us a wonderful letter about her feminist concept, about the (passive) role of women in history, spending their lives in the shadow of their men, and about the capacities of the women to give life and protect it. Her concept was also about textile art as a female creative activity in all society; and my memory retained the example of Penelope, known for her fidelity, working her scroll and waiting for her husband to come back from the war.

I decided to paint my body in white color, then roll me up in the textile material as Cleopatra in her carpet, rolling on the ground until my body imprints the cloth, and sharing this image with the others. I sent my work by postal delivery, and I received from Iren a postcard (see the picture below) and news about the places where she had shown the installation (e.g. Mo i Rana Norwegen, San Francisco and Los Angeles USA).

installation concept and photo by Iren Jensen