Ribbon / part 3
Third picture out of a series of three mixed media artworks (drawing + photo background)
Medium: printed on fine art paper
Year: 2026
Science background: like the picture Ribbons / part 1
Content: The third image of the series shows the portrait of an elderly woman. Her gaze is calm and determined; she appears proud and independent. In this work, old age is not depicted as a retreat but as a moment of self-determination and clarity.
The gift ribbon that runs throughout the entire series has changed its form once again. It is now orange and loosely wrapped around the woman’s forehead. The ribbon becomes a personal sign—no longer a playful ornament as in childhood and no longer primarily a symbol of relationships and sexuality as in the second image. Instead, it now represents self-determination and inner freedom. The woman no longer submits to social expectations; she does what feels right and good for herself.
Another element in the image is a small orange bundle of gift ribbon. It functions as a reflection on her life—a condensed knot of memories, experiences, and decisions that have accumulated over time. The ribbon that once unfolded is now partly gathered again, referring to the totality of a lived life.
As in the previous two images, one comic panel is deliberately left empty. This empty space stands for the openness and incompleteness of life. Even at the end of a long life story, there remains room for thoughts, memories, and possibilities. The image concludes the series without fully closing it—just as a life leaves traces that extend beyond the moment depicted.
Technique: like the picture Ribbons / part 1
