Kanekalon Hair and Pony Beads
Lead With Your Looks is part of a series of tapestry like sculptures made from synthetic braided hair and pony beads to create intricate patterns that tell stories, signify identity, and explore stages of grief. Hair braiding in Black culture simultaneously serves as a form of adornment and protection against the structurally fragile nature of Black hair, hence the name “protective style.” Pony beads evoke a sense of childlike nostalgia, bringing one back to a time of innocence and vulnerability, a mindset desired in the face of trauma and grief. In a society that restricts women’s self-expression through misogynistic narratives the phrase Lead With Your Looks is reclamation of power, allowing women to take back ownership of their bodies, sexual power, and autonomy.