Doing Hair: Art and Hair in Africa, Wits Art Museum, Johannesburg, South Africa, 20 August – 2 November 2014

This exhibition celebrates the creativity, individuality and innovation in hairstyling and art, in South Africa, and in other parts of the African continent. The exhibition is sponsored by Black Like Me, South Africa’s iconic hair care company. This partnership between WAM and Black Like Me, the company who revolutionised the South African hair care industry in the 1980s, makes possible an exciting and highly topical exhibition. The political, social, cultural and economic implications of hair and hairdressing are explored in the exhibition. It also looks at how hair communicates information about age, religious affiliation, social status, political ideologies and aspirations. Extraordinary objects that are used to protect, style and adorn hair, historical and contemporary artworks, barbershop posters, films and installations from Wits Art Museum and other public and private collections are included. Emmanuel's short film 3SAI: A Rite of Passage (2008) was selected by the curators for this exhibition.