Afra Al Dhaheri, Hair has a mind of it's own no.4, 2022
Concrete and resin on soft foam and wood
79 x 25 x 63 cm; Stand dimensions: 65 x 6 x 9 cm
We are pleased to announce the acquisition of Afra Al Dhaheri's Hair has a mind of it's own no.4 (2022), by FRAC des Pays de la Loire, France.
"Hair has a mind of its own, is a dialogue with materials assembled to stand as a representation of a state of hair. When hair has a mind of its own, it is stubborn, persistent, and relentless. It demands to exist the way it wants, taking no instructions from any participant. To participate in this dialogue as a maker, even I must step down at times and give in to the power of this organic material. The only solution is to loosen my end of the grip and allow the medium to take form and shape as it desires. Resulting in the assembly of the braids anchored by the wood rod as a base for stability and grounding while existing in a playful movement frozen in time. I have prioritized the examination of hair because it is an examination of inherited ideologies, of self- representation, and of self-preservation."
Born in 1988 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Afra Al Dhaheri obtained her MFA from Rhode Island School of Design, Rhode Island in 2017. She had her residencies from The Salama bint Hamdan Emerging Artists Fellowship, in partnership with the Rhode Island School of Design (2014); Porthmeor Studios, St. Ives, Cornwall, UK (2019); Viafarini, Milan (2022); and The Watermill Center, NY (2023). Al Dhaheri is among the finalists for the Richard Mille Art Prize 2022.