By KARI MUTU

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Famed Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie once said, “If Michelle Obama had natural hair, Barack Obama would not have won.” Now, Kenyan artist Wambui Kamiru Collymore is challenging the perception of black beauty through her new exhibition, Akili Ni Nywele (hair is like intelligence) taking place at the One Off Gallery in Nairobi until August 22.

At the gallery I first walked into a dark room showing a film of Wambui cutting off her hair with a pair of large scissors in front of a mirror. Traditionally, the symbolic cutting of hair by women happened during rites of passage or times of bereavement. This exhibition looks at the modern woman, what she does with her hair and why.

I followed a thick rope of plaited hair that led to the rest of the exhibition. On a low table covered in silver foil paper was an assortment of silver-painted hair tools, brushes, combs and even an old-school metal hot comb, the kind used to straighten coarse African hair.

But what defines black or African hair, beauty and femininity? Wambui is not aiming to answer the question but to ask it, “because I think it depends on the individual,” she says.

One wall has portraits of black women wearing wigs and weaves, their dark locks giving them a sophisticated or sexy look. A TV set is airing adverts of hair products by women in long silky tresses that blow in the wind, attracting the attention of passing men. Others have little black girls with relaxed hair like the soft, bouncy curls of their play dolls. An armchair in a room with bright pink walls sits in front of a carpet made from human hair pieces. It feels eerie, yet human hair is a highly valued head adornment.

A wall of portraits of black women wearing wigs, weaves and locs at the 'Akili Ni Nywele' exhibition. PHOTO | COURTESY | WAMBUI COLLYMORE

Wambui emphasises that she is not castigating permed hair, wigs or weave-wearing. “What I am questioning is the fact that women are told how to present themselves much more than men are.” She asks whether our choices around hairstyles are connected to the fact that women in TV adverts or romance novels have long flowy hair “and therefore, that is what love means?”

The conundrum is greater for urban women where success and status are expressed as smooth, straight hairdos or expensive hair pieces. “Natural hair and head scarves are more acceptable in rural areas. This is changing as weaves and wigs become more accessible,” she added.

Wambui's natural hair is currently styled in short sister-locks, but while younger she relaxed her hair, as did many women to manage their manes. “We didn’t have as many natural hair products as we do today,” she said.

Wambui is pleased by the diversity of identities available to women now. Nevertheless, she asks us to reflect on why we ascribe to particular looks or why men prefer certain hair types on women. She wants to review the language used to describe black hair. “It’s what I call decolonising African-ness. Kinky hair or nappy head, all those words have a negative connotation.”

In the pink room is a collection of Barbie dolls, mostly white-skinned with blonde hair down to the waists. While notions of beauty are implanted at an early age, girls or young women should feel free to choose how they describe themselves.

In a pink room is a collection of Barbie dolls. PHOTO | COURTESY | WAMBUI COLLYMORE

Akili Ni Nywele underscores the subtle power play around African hair, femininity and the choices women must make to achieve respectability or to conform, versus having the freedom to define one’s womanhood.

“And if we as black women can define beauty, then we can get to a place where we are confident about our identity.”