A portrait of a person without a self-determined life
"Ermelinda" contains a series of photographs about an indigenous
woman. At the time of recording she was 71 years old has been working all of her life in the house of a Mexican family. Now only for her 91 years old mistress of the house.
She has a small room with a bathroom downstairs. That is her living space. She works not only in the kitchen. It is a full time job. Her life depends on another life: that of by her Miss. Since the last more than 20 years she has been alone with her Señora. Only in times of invited guests does she have help by another old woman for cooking, and a young girl for the service in the house.
She died from Covid-19 Coronavirus in December 2020.
Ermelinda 01
40 x 30 cm
archival pigment print
ed. 2/10
2017
Top down, left to right:
01 Ermelinda portrait 1
02 The principal room 1
03 The principal room 2
04 In the kitchen
05 In between 1
06 In between 2
07 In the kitchen with other cook and her Señora
08 In the principal room with her Señora 1
09 In the principal room with her Señora 2
10 Time for rest with the other old woman for cooking and the young girl for the service in the house.
11 At the view at the garden with her Señora
12 Ermelinda portrait 2
13 Hands of her
14 Hands and rose
15 Her way to her room downstairs
16 Her room downstairs. That is her living room.
17 Detail in her room
18 The view outside from her room / The Villa - her living and working place. 1
19 The view outside from her room / The Villa - her living and working place. 2
20 Ermelinda: left - the right face (right half side of her face doubled), center her regular face, right - the left face (left half side of her face doubled). Left and right - a new rational / emotional face.
© All rights reserved by WH Scholz, 2017
