Hair Shame, not anymore.
‘Monsterlike plants’
This work encapsulates some of the stages of my visual and academic discussions about women’s bodies and the social and cultural pressure that have influence on shaping it. Having as a starting point the gendered bodily practices that allow us to construct gender (as well as letting it construct us) and make meaning out of the body, here I discuss how controlling our natural features, and maintaining a docile body, shapes individuals and influences how we evolve as a society.
‘Plant girl’
Growing up in Luanda, my parents house was the only one in that building that had plants at the entrance of the flat. There were 17 apartments in the building. Ours was the only one that had plants at all. In our street, me and my sister were called ‘The plant girls’ which i never understood until recently when i realized that no one else had plants as people’s concerns with basic needs such as water supply, food to get by and security were above any need for decoration or spiritual purposes for having plants. Were those same plants an indication of cultural or class unevenness? Is the monsterlike plant hair on my body another stablishment that indicates where i should be cathegorized regarding gender?
‘Plant girl’ explores ideas around the desire of wildly grown hair on my head, and the fear of ‘monsterlike’ grown plants on my armpits, pubic area and legs through drawings and annotation on a body documentation photograph.
‘Bloody hair, from nose to toes’
Performance and crit documentation Jada is embracing the violence of the compulsory bodily pratices she undergoes. She shaved her body hair as I spoke and told the stories of a traumatized body and individual. Is the red a simbolism for the violence? I see blood everywhere. When I shave. But I shave. For you. Not anymore. But I’ve just shaved.
‘Body on body’
Here the body is re-invented as a liminal space for discussion. The display of skin and body hair removal are the main subjects explored, as the work operates as a land for discussion leading to my main intent : to raise awareness and educate people regarding educating themselves and making informed decisions that might differ from society’s expectations. Transferring this knowledge , I believe this is part of our journey to solve social, health, family and poverty issues.
‘Sexual intercourse with body hair’
The hands are touching, exploring and shaping the body according to the wishes of bodies( people) that we cannot see. Those same hands are a metaphore for how we are shaped by society, letting the values, beliefs and pressure from others dictate the way we present our bodies and direct our lives. Alongside the way those hands, as a collective, shape our existence as individuals, they also censor and limit our willingness to express our bodies and ideals. In the image above, an individual with their arms up, is surrendering to how society is handling their sexuality.
This work encapsulates some of the stages of my visual and academic discussions about women’s bodies and the social and cultural pressure that have influence on shaping it. Having as a starting point the gendered bodily practices that allow us to construct gender (as well as letting it construct us) and make meaning out of the body, here I discuss how controlling our natural features, and maintaining a docile body, shapes individuals and influences how we evolve as a society.
‘Plant girl’
Growing up in Luanda, my parents house was the only one in that building that had plants at the entrance of the flat. There were 17 apartments in the building. Ours was the only one that had plants at all. In our street, me and my sister were called ‘The plant girls’ which i never understood until recently when i realized that no one else had plants as people’s concerns with basic needs such as water supply, food to get by and security were above any need for decoration or spiritual purposes for having plants. Were those same plants an indication of cultural or class unevenness? Is the monsterlike plant hair on my body another stablishment that indicates where i should be cathegorized regarding gender?
‘Plant girl’ explores ideas around the desire of wildly grown hair on my head, and the fear of ‘monsterlike’ grown plants on my armpits, pubic area and legs through drawings and annotation on a body documentation photograph.
‘Bloody hair, from nose to toes’
Performance and crit documentation Jada is embracing the violence of the compulsory bodily pratices she undergoes. She shaved her body hair as I spoke and told the stories of a traumatized body and individual. Is the red a simbolism for the violence? I see blood everywhere. When I shave. But I shave. For you. Not anymore. But I’ve just shaved.
‘Body on body’
Here the body is re-invented as a liminal space for discussion. The display of skin and body hair removal are the main subjects explored, as the work operates as a land for discussion leading to my main intent : to raise awareness and educate people regarding educating themselves and making informed decisions that might differ from society’s expectations. Transferring this knowledge , I believe this is part of our journey to solve social, health, family and poverty issues.
‘Sexual intercourse with body hair’
The hands are touching, exploring and shaping the body according to the wishes of bodies( people) that we cannot see. Those same hands are a metaphore for how we are shaped by society, letting the values, beliefs and pressure from others dictate the way we present our bodies and direct our lives. Alongside the way those hands, as a collective, shape our existence as individuals, they also censor and limit our willingness to express our bodies and ideals. In the image above, an individual with their arms up, is surrendering to how society is handling their sexuality.
