Beaded Braids Study — exploring how Midjourney [v 5.1] visualizes bead embellishments on braided Black hair. The text prompt includes visual cues from the bold, unapologetic hair and make-up worn by the legendary Kalakuta Queens. ⁠

The Kalakuta Queens were a collective of 27 women who were both performers and wives of the celebrated Nigerian musician and political activist, Fela Kuti. All 27 Queens were wed in a single ceremony — a deliberate move aimed at legitimizing their marital status in a culture that would otherwise stigmatize the women for cohabiting with Fela Kuti.