This is a contact sheet of six shots of Fabienne, Viola’s dead lover. Fabienne is real and really dead, and “Fabienne” is not her real name. Fabienne and Viola are both child victims of sexual abuse, Fabienne is victim of incest; they grew up friends and became lovers, but their families found out and separated them. Both got into drugs, Viola got out and Fabienne died. Any information about Fabienne was kept from Viola and she was told by her family, if she ever would come back to town they would shoot her. (In the place where Viola and Fabienne are from a threat like that may be taken literally.)

Viola never knew that Fabienne was not doing well and when she died she was not able to come to the funeral.

This contact sheet shows six images, an attempt to recreate a photograph of Fabienne for Viola to choose the one that comes closest.

Josiane Keller “contact sheet: Fabienne” (2016)

The figure used to resemble Fabienne is not fired like the other figures, because Fabienne died; it is made from raw clay dried and will go to the girl called Viola, who is not really called “Viola”. I hope she can bury her, puppet funeral. Or whatever she likes to do with her. I hope it will help some thing some how. Not sure though if things work that way.