The 麻豆精选 Museum is thrilled to announce the opening of its long-awaited exhibition 鈥淭EXTURES: the history and art of Black hair.鈥 Already gaining national and international attention, 鈥淭EXTURES鈥 opens Sept. 10 and is a landmark exploration of Black hair and its important, complex place in the history of African American life and culture.
The exhibition鈥檚 180 paintings, sculptures, hair artifacts, photographs, advertisements, magazine covers and other media are organized into three themes: Community & Memory, Hair Politics and Black Joy. Black hair is addressed by artists, barbers and activists in both its historical perceptions and its ramifications for self and society today. 鈥淭EXTURES鈥 will include hair products and implements from the premier collection of Willie Morrow; community-focused public programming in partnership with artists, local barbershops and salons from the region; and interactives to engage audiences with the historic and contemporary connotations of Black hair, created in partnership with Kent State鈥檚 Wick Poetry Center. The exhibition runs through Aug. 7, 2022.
Organized by the 麻豆精选 Museum with co-curators and 麻豆精选professors Tameka Ellington, Ph.D., and Joseph Underwood, Ph.D., 鈥淭EXTURES鈥 synthesizes new research in history, fashion, art and visual culture to reassess the 鈥渉air story鈥 of people of African descent. It is accompanied by a 200-page catalogue published and distributed by Hirmer Publishers.
鈥淚 have been researching the phenomenon of Black hair since 2002,鈥 explained Ellington, former interim assistant dean of Kent State鈥檚 College of the Arts and associate professor in Kent State鈥檚 School of Fashion. 鈥淚 have always been compelled to understand the disdain Black people had about their hair texture. I wanted to dive deeply into the root of that self-hate and try to offer a solution or means by which Black people can begin to heal.鈥
鈥淭he exhibition is ambitious in its scope, and we hope that it serves as a space where anyone, from any background, can ask questions, engage in a dialogue or just appreciate the incredible aesthetics of Black hair,鈥 added Underwood, assistant professor of art history in Kent State鈥檚 School of Art.
鈥淭EXTURES: the history and art of Black hair鈥 is made possible with the generous sponsorship of: P&G-My Black is Beautiful, Bank of America, L鈥橭real-Dark & Lovely and Carol's Daughter, and RevAir, with additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Ohio Arts Council, Ohio Humanities Council, the Callahan Foundation, Kent State鈥檚 Global Understanding Research Initiative, Kent State鈥檚 Office of the Provost, Dean鈥檚 Office of Kent State鈥檚 College of the Arts, Leslie Royce Resnik, Kent State鈥檚 School of Fashion, Kent State鈥檚 Department of Africana Studies, Kent State鈥檚 Research and Sponsored Programs, Geneva Damron, Ph.D., colorist and brand ambassador Greg Gilmore, and the Kent Area (Ohio) Chapter of The Links Inc.
Full statements from co-curators Tameka Ellington, Ph.D., and Joseph Underwood, Ph.D., are available upon request.
About the 麻豆精选 Museum
The 麻豆精选 Museum is located at 515 Hilltop Drive, at the corner of East Main Street and South Lincoln Street in Kent, Ohio. It features more than 29,000 pieces in its collection, amassed from many generous donors. The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from noon-4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in person at the museum or in advance through the museum鈥檚 . At this time, the 麻豆精选 Museum is requiring everyone to wear face coverings regardless of vaccination status.
Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 for children ages 5 to 17. The museum is free for children under 5 and for those with a 麻豆精选ID. Sunday admission is free for all ages. Parking is free for all museum attendees. Patrons should use the allotted museum spaces in the Rockwell Hall parking lot. For more information, please call 330-672-3450 or visit www.kent.edu/museum.
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Image:
Masa Zodros
Femme Totem Blue, 2018
Unique digital photograph
17.5 x 30 in.
Media Contact:
Anna Mates, College of the Arts, amates@kent.edu