For this ongoing piece, I have been experimenting with photography to showcase and examine the versatility of Black hair. I have primarily used my students as subjects, as many—especially the women—have had three to four different hairstyles this semester alone.

Black hair has always been, and continues to be, a defining aspect of both personal and cultural identity. The way we choose to style our hair influences how others perceive us, reflecting individuality, heritage, and self-expression.

This work draws inspiration from Lorna Simpson’s 1994 series Wigs, which explores wigs as tools of conformity, transformation, and concealment, as well as Sonya Clark’s Hair Craft Project, which dismantles boundaries between hair salons and art galleries—highlighting hair as an art form rooted in aesthetics, craft, skill, improvisation, and commerce. Clark’s work also underscores hair as one of the earliest forms of textile art.

My goal is to examine hair itself as a natural fiber—one that shapes and influences our sense of self—while also exploring the ways Black hair exemplifies textile art. From natural afros and locs to sew-ins and wigs, our hair tells a story of culture, identity, and craft, weaving a rich and evolving visual language.