Gallery Talk: Inyang Essien
LHUCA
511 Avenue K

Saturday, February 5th
11am – 12pm

Join us on Saturday, February 5 at 11 am in the Helen Devitt Jones Studio Gallery for an in-person gallery talk with Dallas-based artist, Inyang Essien.

Common themes in Essien’s work include exploring the vibrant history and present-day cultures of Black people, topics surrounding sexuality, and the ongoing transformation that accompanies coming into one’s identity.

Essien’s goal for viewers is to appreciate the dynamics of Nigerian culture as it relates to hair and understand their relevance today. Capitalizing on the flexibility and strength of Black hair, hair thread is used to manipulate the hair into unique styles. I chose to complement this threaded Nigerian hairstyle with a vibrant backdrop of Ankara — a wax-style textile popular among African cultures. These hairstyles and textiles vary in meaning — some are specific to a particular region or the status that a woman holds.

She hopes that through her work viewers resonate with those seen in the images and that others develop an appreciation that was not previously there.

https://www.inyangessien.com/

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