“BLACK HAIR”, YET AGAIN.

By Nii B. ANDREWS.

Tameka Ellington, former dean for the College of the Arts, director for diversity initiatives and associate professor of fashion; and Joseph Underwood, assistant professor of art history for Africa and its diaspora, are currently co-curating a monumental exhibition at the Kent State University Museum with the title, “TEXTURES: THE HISTORY AND ART OF BLACK HAIR”.

TEXTURES synthesizes research in history, fashion, art, and visual culture to reassess the “hair story” of peoples of African descent; an exploration of Black hair and its place in the history of African American life and culture.

It is a culmination of four years of hard work by Ellington who has devoted almost twenty years of her life to studying and understanding the myriad facets and manifestations of Black hair.

MAIR AT CYLCH MEITHRIN: Anya Paintsil, 2020. Courtesy of Ed Cross Gallery.

On display are 180 paintings, sculptures, hair artifacts, photographs, advertisements, magazine covers and other works from ancient Egypt to the present day; there are works by 53 contemporary artists from Africa, Europe and the U.S.

The exhibit is organized into three themes: Community & Memory, Hair Politics and Black Joy.

Ellington explained, “the reason I decided to do it was because of lived experiences I’ve had and discrimination that I’ve faced in employment, dating and family dynamics”.

BLACK HAIR FLAG:Sonya Clark, 2010.

Black hair has long been a loaded issue for African Americans and others in the diaspora, and it is here addressed by artists, barbers, and activists in both its historical perceptions and the ramifications for self and society today.

Ellington is therefore convinced that the topic of Black hair needs to be disrupted not just in mainstream society, but also in the Black community.

WHOOAA…..has she traveled to Accra lately or read the news from ghana where a cynical and ill advised attempt has been afoot to intimidate and weaponize the law against a gifted and disciplined public high school student who wears his natural black hair in locks?

Devan Shimoyama Elijah, 2020

“Black hair has been a topic needing to be dealt with in the way that society has seen it as the lesser for more than 400 years.

During the slave era, slave owners described their slaves’ hair by calling it wool instead of hair.

It was a way in which they were able to justify the treatment they made the people suffer through by basically referring to them as animals and not human beings. That has continued on,” she said.

Collection of AFROCOMBS displayed in the exhibition.

A 200-page most edifying and illuminating catalog accompanies the exhibition; it features pictures of the works and objects on display, photo captions and essays written by scholars from diverse fields who each approach the topic of Black hair from different perspectives.

WHOOAA…..shouldn’t the catalog be required reading for all the members of at least one school governing board and the hierarchy of at least one alumni and PTA organisation; really, is that not a useful/ sensible / appropriate move?

Perhaps a compulsory follow up open book exam on the contents of the catalog might even help in reinforcing the important lessons and updating the knowledge of this cohort; from all indications we need more practical and relevant education, not less.

TEXTURES EXHIBITION CATALOG: can be purchased here, https://www.kent.edu/museum/store ( it is STRONGLY recommended that a specific cohort do so as a matter of urgency and READ it carefully)

The co-curator, Underwood said, “……This isn’t an exhibition made for just the Black audience or for the museum to cater to a certain people.

We want everyone to say you have a part in this story, whether it’s gaining understanding or seeing how you actually do participate in how these systems get constructed.

But also a whole 1/3 of the exhibition is Black Joy, sharing the beauty of the aesthetics and the sculptural qualities of Black hair”.

FEMME TOTEM BLUE: Masa Zadros, 2018.

It is interesting to speculate what the curators’ reaction will be if they knew that right here in Africa – in ghana of all places, the official institutional understanding of our educators àppears light years removed from modern perspectives and scholarship.

Furthermore, in ghana we do not seem to care; indeed we appear totally oblivious to progressive ideas of inclusiveness; we rather regale ourselves with tales of despicable stereotypes, wallow in our wanton prejudices and unbridled ignorance even in the presence of copious facts and evidence to the contrary – what a shame!

********The exhibition runs through Aug. 7, 2022.

 The museum is open from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. from Tuesday through Saturday and noon-4 p.m. on Sunday.*******

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