Braids

Braiding is an ongoing practice in my life, from when I had my hair done by family members as a child, to when I began braiding for others as an adolescent. Braids are typically temporary and confined to practical styles suitable for a client’s lifestyle. By removing considerations of wearability and time, my braids will live solely as works art, immortalized in film and digital photography.  Beyond aesthetics, hair braiding in practice is a transformative and deeply connective tradition. I will examine those connections and relationships through the context of my own experience, inheriting a skill from my family, using it as a tool of self love, then spreading that love to my clients. 

The initial concept for Braids struck me at the age of twelve, when I had an idea to create sculptural braid styles using multi colored synthetic hair and wire, then photograph them. Over time the idea marinated, drawing inspiration from the evolution of my own braiding, 60’s era African American braid styles, and regional braid designs across the continent of Africa. As I developed as an artist and began using more conventional art media, I realized that all along I have perceived braiding as a trade separate from art. When I began to deconstruct my reasoning, I discovered that I had projected societal misgivings about Black culture on myself. I didn’t recognize Braiding as a legitimate art form, because I was conditioned not to.  Now, thirteen years later, I wish to honor my art, and I am finally ready to bring this long imagined project to life.

This past year the fashion scene has been flooded with cornrows, baby hair, and urban inspired silhouettes. Recently, while perusing the internet, I stumbled across a behind-the-scenes photograph of a model wearing a du-rag, a scarf typically worn by Black men to produce uniform ripple curls, or waves, in short hair cuts. The image caption called the du-rag an “urban tie cap” by Chanel, and reading it disturbed me. Black men are snubbed for wearing du-rags, but a white woman in the same scarf is high fashion. Likewise, Black women have to consider if our hair in its natural state is appropriate or professional in certain settings. Historically, facets of Black life are mocked or exploited for capital gain while actual Black people are removed from the conversation. This is why it feels imperative to add my voice to this conversation, to help define my culture with an artistic perspective rooted in Black unity and empowerment.

With your support, Braids will come to life in this solo exhibition next spring. Funds raised through 3AP will help cover costs of lighting, backdrops, darkroom access, photographic paper, synthetic hair, yarn, printing, framing, and makeup artistry. The resulting exhibition is the backbone of what I hope will become an ongoing project. In the near future, my goal is to show Braids in different cities and create a companion book to accompany the exhibit. My long-term goal is to embark on an international cultural exchange where I learn and document traditional braiding techniques from women in various regions in Africa and teach them styles from my home. Throughout the process I will pay my skills forward by teaching young girls, creating for them a platform for connection, creative expression, and financial independence.