The Series ‘The Divinity of Hair’ had been simmering for years.

It began with the fabric. I was drawn to it and wanted to honour the rich colours and details.

The fabric reminded me of the shapes and patterns of traditional hairstyles.

At the time I was reckoning with the numerous memories of people touching my hair.

The interaction often left me depleted and contemplating the physical and mental ways in which I felt reduced to an object.

I knew the past is intrinsically linked to the present, so I decided to delve into the history of Afro hair.

This led to me reading ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’ by Emma Dabiri.

This book helped me to appreciate the rich culture of Afro hair, despite the constant attempt by society and media to try and commodify black bodies.

There are multiple events in history that caused this dynamic,

a significant moment is how Sarah Baartman was displayed in a human zoo in London in 1810,

this fascination and attraction to black people has trickled down generations and presents itself in microaggressions.