Hair Brooches: Blonde

Karin Jones explores the ways in which hair can help to form our identities, socially, culturally, and racially. Primarily, she is concerned with the suppression of African hair in favour of a “whiter” look achieved through weaves, extensions and straightening techniques.

Coming from a jewellery background, she chose to use Victorian hair jewellery as a starting point, and began braiding synthetic hair extensions according to complex patterns used in Victorian times in Hair Brooch: Black to question ideas of hair as commodity. Eventually, she chose simple braids to reference Afrocentric hairstyles directly in Hair Brooch: Red. Through this work, she hopes to re-open some of the conversations about African hair as symbol of status and power that were begun in the 1960's with rise of the Afro. Brooches are hand-constructed out of manufactured tubing, with commercial brooch findings. All braiding is done by hand.