New Exhibition Unveils The Artistry Behind Black Hair
A new exhibition at The Cockatoo in Bethnal Green - courtesy of Keash CEO Taiba Taiba - looks at Black hair and braiding as a sculptural art form in its own right.
A new exhibition at The Cockatoo in Bethnal Green - courtesy of Keash CEO Taiba Taiba - looks at Black hair and braiding as a sculptural art form in its own right.
Best-known in the fashion community for her innovative and wondrous braiding skills, illustrated most recently by commissions for Burberry and Mercedes, Taiba Taiba of Keash has created hair looks for the likes of FKA Twigs and Jorja Smith. Her sculptural, elegant and intricate work has made her a mainstay of Instagram, where she exhibits her extraordinary creations to the rest of the world. Marking her formal debut in the fine art space, her first solo exhibition, We Need Some More Black In Hair, featuring at The Cockatoo downstairs in Bethnal Green's Bistrotheque, will display images of standout projects she's previously worked on while also presenting a series of contemplative sculptures. Showcasing her techniques applied to obscure objects such as mirrors, stools, chairs and bags, these quotidian objects will flaunt the artist's own honed braiding skills and techniques, illustrating how the art form of black hairstyling holds few limitations.
An early protagonist of the hair tattoo trend, creating pastel Nike swooshes and decorating fuchsia buzz cuts with tiny sea pearls, her artwork features a colourful array of intricately woven sneakers, hybrid Vuitton handbags, and not to mention gravity-defying braids - all of which will be exhibited in the exhibition in one way or another.
Commenting on her new show, Taiba Taiba said in a statement:
'it didn't really make sense at first to use hair in this way, but I'm so glad I have done this as there's a strong underlying message about black culture, and I feel I've created something very unique, while staying true to my sustainable ethos as a creative. I feel that my work as an art form gives me a greater platform to experiment, create, and challenge both myself and my audience, as well as private collectors, who champion me.'
There have been essential conversations in the media for some time, whether focusing on Black women's relationship with their hair or discussions that centre around the simple importance of Black visibility within the beauty industry. We Need Some More Black in Hair continues these much-needed conversations by adding another standpoint while expanding on previous discussions.
We Need More Black In Hair takes place 12 - 20:00 BST on Thursday 21 October 2021 at The Cockatoo, Bistrotheque in Bethnal Green and will travel to New York for 2022.
