The Importance of a Name

All my life, I introduced myself as Nicolle, which is my first name, and I love it. But very few people know my middle name, since I had almost never used it until now.

The thing about a name is that it not only gives us identity, but also connects us to our family, to our roots. I personally don’t like the use of surnames because they only reflect the male lineage, but that’s another topic.

In my case, I’ve always believed that my middle name, which is Seele, is the one that truly speaks of my family and where I come from. I have four older siblings, and all of us share the same name. Beyond a story that we have in common, it’s our name that unites us. We’re all named “soul” in different languages, and I got Seele, which is in German.

I’m the only one of my siblings who has two names, because when I was born, my mother was going through a phase of empowerment in her marriage. She says she chose the name Nicolle without asking anyone. I take that as a precious gift from her to me—especially because I once read that Nicolle means “victory at the end of battles,” and I feel like that truly reflects the moment my family was going through.

I’m so grateful to have two names. I see it as a chance to switch personalities whenever I want, and right now, I really needed a new one.

When I first started printing and framing my collages, I had no doubt about signing them as Seele. I needed a pure name for my purpose of starting from scratch. But it happened just like it does when I make a collage: I almost never use new materials. Instead, I go back in time to find what is valuable for creating something new.

My creations come from an authentic part of my spirit that has been within me for a long time, just like Seele—calmly waiting to be awakened.