CŒUR DE FEMMES

THE BOOK

I joined the Cœur de Femmes team for two years to be as close as possible to women in total social and psychological distress.


The women we meet in this report are in situations of extreme exclusion: beaten, raped, tortured, humiliated; suffering women who have lost all bearings and are rejected by society; women who have failed on the streets, wounded in their very being; women from France and elsewhere. Since 1992, the association Cœur de Femmes has been fighting against the exclusion of women living on the streets, and helping them by offering them shelter and support in several locations in Paris. This project brings together texts, paintings and photos, and is the culmination of social and artistic work that aims to tackle the exclusion of women in a new way. 

"...When you look at the women photographed by Céline Anaya Gautier, I'm sure you'll be as overwhelmed as I am. No one can remain indifferent to the sight of these women destroyed by solitude, misfortune and the absence of love.

They are at the bottom of the abyss, seemingly definitively condemned to a life without hope. It took feelings of understanding and fraternity, a personal commitment, for Céline Anaya Gautier to be able to capture them as they are broken, some without eyes, others seemingly exhausted, resigned or anguished. But there are also those who resist, rebel and face up to the situation with a sense of humor.

They were photographed by Céline at "Cœur de Femmes", where they are housed.

From this perspective, Céline Anaya Gautier's work goes far beyond that of a photographer. It's part of this process of reconstruction, enabling the women concerned to see themselves as they are, and to use their own image as a springboard for the desire to regain a face and a figure, to become a woman again, free to be herself... ".
— Simone Veil
A woman bedridden in a hospital looks on pensively.
A person sitting on the floor against a brick wall, wearing a dark jacket, white pants and a beige and brown hat, is looking at a cell phone.
Portrait of an abstract figure with blue skin, long brown hair, pink eyes, yellow nose and red lips.
A black man wearing a brown hat and dark leather jacket, holding a cigarette, sat against a blue metal wall.
Portrait of an abstract human figure with a purple face, yellow eyes, a pink circle on the left cheek, red background.
An elderly woman wearing large black sunglasses and a black jacket, with dark black curly hair and a white headband, in a dark interior.
Drawing of a bouquet of red flowers with leaves and a white background. The date 11-02-2004 and the name Sophie are written in red at the top, with another name in blue, probably 'Sophia'.
Person wearing a hooded jacket with fur around the collar, carrying a backpack, fog or low light
Woman with eyes closed wearing a brown synthetic fur coat in an exhibition space with a colorful work of art in the background.
Colorful portrait of a person with blue eyes and short hair, surrounded by brightly colored floral motifs.
A woman with long curly hair holds a doll with hybrid human and animal features. She wears a dark jacket and sits at a table.
Drawing of a bespectacled person with a red face, brown hair and a large yellow earring, surrounded by pink, yellow and black shapes.
A woman wearing sunglasses, a green hat, and a black coat, seen through a window with a sign in French, smiling, with a coin in hand
A woman with a provocative expression stares into a mirror, holding a red object in her right hand and a ticket in her left.
A woman looks preoccupied or worried, seated at a table, wearing a head wrapped in a red scarf and a black coat.
Abstract painting depicting a face in bright colors such as blue, red, yellow, gray and black, with expressive features and a neutral expression.
A woman lying in a hospital bed, looking up at the lens, with a tired face and a pensive expression.
A young woman wearing a black and white checked beanie, black jacket, gray hoodie, striped shirt and headphones, sitting facing the camera in a light-walled room.
Abstract painting depicting a silhouette of a woman in profile with bright colors and expressive features.
A person sitting in a room, wearing a woven hat and holding a pink cup. The person looks at the lens.
Woman with brown hair, wearing a blouse with pink stars, cooking with a large saucepan on the stove.
Abstract portrait of a woman with a yellow face, brown and red hair, black eyes, red lips, and colored details around the eyes and face.
A young woman with curly hair sits on a sofa, looking at the lens, in a bright room with windows and decorations in the background.
An elderly woman rests her head on a desk, seemingly asleep or exhausted, in a room lit naturally by a shuttered window.
A baby asleep in the arms of a woman, probably his mother, in a warm interior.
Painted portrait of a woman with black hair, pink eye makeup and purple lips, colored background.
Painting of a woman with long black hair, with a pink background and abstract motifs.
An elderly person with blond hair sleeping peacefully, resting her head on one arm, with a beige cloth in her hand in an interior frame.
Young woman with short brunette hair, wearing a gray sweater, looking up, with her hand on her head, indoors near a bright window
A woman rests her head on her arms, wearing a white bonnet, sitting at a table with newspapers, seemingly asleep or exhausted.
Abstract-style portrait of a person with black hair, dark skin and a yellow shirt, with a green background.
Young woman with beige veil and pearls, looking down, in a dark room near a window with sunlight.
A man lying on a bed next to a wooden shelf filled with magazines and papers, looking towards the camera with a serious or questioning expression.
A hand-drawn portrait with brown skin, long braids, black eyes, thick eyebrows, a curved nose and dark lips.
Woman with orange scarf looking at mirror, interior decor with candles and artwork.
Stylized portrait of a woman with curly red hair, face in profile, gray background with touches of red and yellow.
Two women sit, one with a hand to her head, looking preoccupied or stressed.
Line drawing of two women, one with her eyes closed, the other looking slightly to the right.
Young woman with short hair, wearing black clothing, posing near a wall next to a drawing of a woman with red hair and black shorts, with the text "Chloé" and "Lisa" next to it.
Abstract painting depicting a face with large yellow eyes, a pink mouth and a red background.
A woman with glasses on her head, wearing a black and white striped sweater, sleeps with her head resting on a stack of books on a round black table. A small dog is visible in a bag beside her.
Woman seated in a room, with a serious expression, wearing a beige sweater, a pink dress and a neutral background.
Abstract portrait of a human figure with half blue face, half pink face, neutral expression, black features, red cheeks, white background.
One person rests his head on a table, wearing a white Puma cap, with one hand resting flat on the surface.
A portrait of a face drawn abstractly with bright colors, mainly green, red and yellow, in an expressive artistic style.
A woman sitting on a bed knitting with pink wool and knitting needles.
Abstract painting depicting a woman's face with bright colors and an eclectic background.