MUSAH SWALLAH, USA

After teaching art in my hometown, I moved from Ghana to the USA in 2017. These portraits, therefore, reflect the diverse cultural representations, styles, and lives of both Africans and the African Diaspora. Most importantly, they emphasize Black beauty. My subjects’ dark skin color is a celebration of their rich complexions. Vivid colors convey both strong emotions and spirituality. Hairstyles, long a medium for Black people to express beauty and style, often take center stage. But these portraits also honor the beauty of Black Muslim women who choose to cover their hair in accordance with Islamic modesty, despite often facing adversity for doing so. My late father, Swallah Musah, cut the hair of everyone in our community—including newborns— in his open-air barbershop. This exhibition is a tribute to his artistry.