BRAIDS
Photography by Shani Crowe
On View in MoCADA’s Window Gallery on S. Portland Avenue until November 6, 2016
“BRAIDS is a series of photographic portraits celebrating the beauty and nuanced artistry of hair braiding. Influenced by an Afro-centric, non-linear time sense where past, present, and future are intertwined and concurrent, BRAIDS draws from a variety of eras. It is an amalgamation of inspiration from ancient artifacts, traditional African braid styles, popular culture, and Afro-futurism, filtered through my perspective. Each portrait can be appreciated at face value, but the imagery conjures a specific nostalgia for African American women who remember both having their hair braided and braiding someone else’s. The opportunity for deeper understanding among Black Women allows a paradigm shift, where a group seen as a double minority has an inherent advantage. By referencing an intergenerational collective memory, seated in the crest of the Black feminine experience, I create an instance of privilege.”
-Shani Crowe
BRAIDS is supported in part by public funds from The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) in partnership with The City Council, and private funds from Lambent Foundation.