Felandus Thames Weaves Hair Beads into Portraits of Black Resilience
Multidisciplinary artist Felandus Thames creates large-scale portraits using thousands of colorful hair beads, transforming a childhood material into a pixel-like medium. His wall-hung works, such as "Let's Dance, Ailey" (2025) and "Believed to be Jenny Freeman in her Sunday's best" (2024-2025), depict historically marginalized figures. Thames draws on Black Studies and the Black Radical Tradition, particularly the writings of Dr. Cedric Robinson, to recover erased histories. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, he now works from his West Haven, Connecticut studio. His process involves color theory, composition, and improvisation, with patterns sourced from museum collections, art history, and fashion. Thames aims to create multiple points of entry for viewers, allowing personal interpretation.
Key facts
- Felandus Thames uses thousands of hair beads as pixels in large-scale portraits.
- Works include 'Let's Dance, Ailey' (2025) and 'Believed to be Jenny Freeman in her Sunday's best' (2024-2025).
- Thames' practice is informed by Black Studies and Dr. Cedric Robinson's Black Radical Tradition.
- He was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and works in West Haven, Connecticut.
- His process relies on color theory, composition, and improvisation.
- Patterns are sourced from museum collections, art history, fashion, and media.
- Thames began using hair beads about 14 years ago after an inventory of his childhood.
- He aims to recover marginalized histories and allow multiple viewer interpretations.
Entities
Artists
- Felandus Thames
- Dr. Cedric Robinson
Institutions
- My Modern Met
Locations
- Jackson
- Mississippi
- Connecticut
- West Haven