J. D.
'Okhai Ojeikere:
African Hairstyles
January 15-March 5, 2005
Throughout African history, hairstyles have functioned as markers for
social status and political position. Over three decades, veteran
photographer J. D. 'Okhai Ojeikere has documented the transformations
and variations found in traditional hairstyles worn by women of his
native Nigeria. Some are designed for special occasions, others are
meant for daily wear, but all of them are indicative of a larger
cultural and historical landscape in which these elaborate designs pass
from one generation to the next.
In the late 1950s and early '60s, the popular use of wigs began to
threaten traditional hairdressing and contributed in time to the gradual
disappearance of elaborate hair designs in the visual patterns of
Nigerian life. While working on a series of photographs for the Nigerian
Arts Council in 1968, Ojeikere became acutely aware of the cultural
importance of this slowly fading tradition and set out to preserve it on
film. Since then Ojeikere has made it a practice to photograph women's
hairdos whenever he encounters a singular, truly exceptional creation,
be it on the street, at work, or at parties, and over the years he has
compiled a comprehensive archive of over a thousand photographs of
hairstyles from all over Nigeria. Each hairstyle speaks to an ancient
history, an accumulated knowledge, and the present state of a living
culture. These intricate creations involve many hours, sometimes even
days, of braidwork assembled in weave-like, linear patterns. For
Ojeikere "hairstyling is a form of art. When you see a hairstylist
do this or that, every singe movement is precise and rapid. She creates
a hairstyle the way a sculptor would work - from nothing. It's
fascinating."
Ojeikere photographs his subjects up close, from the back or in
profile, in order to emphasize the formal and material qualities of the
hairdos. Ojeikere explains that for his purposes "a photograph of
the face reveals nothing, while those of the back are almost abstract
and really show the sculptural aspects of the coiffures. The angle of
each shot reveals distinctive structures." The crisp neutrality of
the black or white backgrounds additionally enhances a disembodied
sculptural reading of the individual hairstyle.
Ojeikere began his exceptional career as a darkroom assistant for the
Ministry of Information in 1954 before becoming the studio photographer
for the first African television station in 1961. In 1963 he was hired
by West African Publicity where he worked for the greatest part of his
career. In 1975, after twelve highly successful and influential years
with West African Publicity, he opened his own photo studio Foto
Ojeikere.
J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere: Hairstyles features hairstyles from
Ovibiomu-Emai, Nigeria, worn at celebrations, festivals, and marriages.
Ojeikere's experience as a photojournalist, commercial photographer, and
fine artist, steeped in the emergent cultural pride that accompanied
Nigerian independence, comes together in this collection of black and
white photos to celebrate hairstyles, stylists, and Nigerian cultural
heritage. The exhibition is co-organized by Terrie Sultan, Director,
Blaffer Gallery, and André Magnin, Curator and Artistic Director, CAAC:
Contemporary African Art Collection, and is on view from January 15
through March 5, 2005.
This exhibition is organized by the CAAC, The Pigozzi
Collection,
Geneva and Blaffer Gallery, the Art Museum of the University of
Houston.
Presentation of this exhibition is made possible by Continental
Airlines.
J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere: Hairstyles is part of Houston's
city-wide celebration of the artists of the CAAC. Additional
installations devoted to Contemporary African Art are on view at: The
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, The Menil
Collection, The Contemporary
Arts Museum, Houston, Project Row Houses, and The University Museum at
Texas Southern University.
J.D. Okhai Ojeikere
