This body of work showcases a commonly used protective style for Afro descent women called box braids. Under the braid, textured hair is tamed and preserved from breakage. While growing up, braiding was always associated with beauty, intense and painful labor, and an option for financial stability. In my work, I use synthetic hair as a tool to abstract patterns of hair and hairstyles seen in my community. I take different artistic approaches to observe, twist, and explore identity through hair structures.
