IF BRAIDS WERE WATA [2023]

I experiment with hairstyles that evoke the mercurial, transformative nature of water, drawing inspiration from Mami Wata—a revered human-aquatic god whose influence spans fertility, wealth, and healing in African and African diasporic devotional practices. ⁠⁠Here, “Wata braids” are conceived as layers and extensions of Mami wata’s fibrous braids. They exist in a second dimension, a universe parallel to ours, possessed of a fluidity that allows for infinite modifications and movements, defying gravity's tether—also a prime characteristic of coarse, Black hair