Preview
Creation Date
2024
Keywords
Sheridan College, Black History Month, Black History, Reconciliation
Description
Creative Reflection Contest Winner
Artist Statement
“Braids & Bobbles is essentially a love letter to black women. It is a diptych acrylic painting highlighting the beauty of the bond between black women and their hair. Braids features someone getting their scalp oiled after having braids done while Bobbles is a depiction of a hairstyle that’s commonly worn by young, black girls and one that I wore myself throughout most of my childhood. In the black community, hair symbolizes resilience and pride and is a way for us to showcase our heritage. It often holds a lot of cultural significance and I know as a black woman myself, it is an important (almost spiritual) part of my identity. As a Bajan international student, things that may seem small such as being able to get my hair done, or seeing other people with hairstyles and hair textures similar to mine help me feel more at home in a country as big and diverse as Canada. These pieces serve as a visual representation of quite literally returning to your roots. I want to allow viewers who see themselves reflected in this work a space to reflect, relate, and foster a deeper connection to our shared experiences and a feeling of belonging. Hair is something that has always and will always unite us, and for a lot of us it’s never just about hair or a haircut or a hairstyle, it's about the connection and community that comes with it.”
Terms of Use
Terms of Use for Works posted in SOURCE.
Copyright
© Alyssa Mahon
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.