Jasmine Ross on Preserving Black-Owned Beauty Supply Stores as Living Archives
Jasmine Ross, a photographer, shares insights on her project 'Beauty Plus', which chronicles the closure of a 31-year-old Black-owned beauty supply store in San Francisco. This initiative marks the beginning of her series 'Changing Hands'. Over 2.5 months, Ross utilized a 4×5 large-format camera to document the store's last days, capturing items such as worn mannequins and old photographs that evoke memories. Her work examines beauty supply stores as places of empowerment and commercialization, leaving unresolved tensions. Ross values relationships over material possessions, considering store owners Melvenia Hylton and Rudy as family. The exhibition was displayed at the Museum of African Diaspora (MoAD) from March 18 to May 31, 2026, with a public program, Salon Day, drawing over 200 attendees, supported by e.l.f. Cosmetics, CREDO Beauty, PATTERN Beauty, and Rare Beauty. She encourages audiences to reflect on what deserves preservation and to support cultural institutions while their founders are still present.
Key facts
- Jasmine Ross created 'Beauty Plus' documenting a 31-year-old Black-owned beauty supply store's closure.
- The project evolved into the first chapter of her ongoing series 'Changing Hands'.
- Ross used a 4×5 large-format camera, with each shot taking 20-30 minutes to set up.
- She photographed objects like chipped mannequins, fading photographs, and empty hangers as memory carriers.
- The exhibition was at the Museum of African Diaspora (MoAD) in San Francisco from March 18 to May 31, 2026.
- Salon Day public program brought over 200 visitors with partners including e.l.f. Cosmetics, CREDO Beauty, PATTERN Beauty, and Rare Beauty.
- Ross emphasizes preserving relationships over objects, calling the store a 'living archive'.
- The store's owners, Melvenia Hylton and Rudy, now consider Ross family.
Entities
Artists
- Jasmine Ross
Institutions
- Museum of African Diaspora (MoAD)
- e.l.f. Cosmetics
- CREDO Beauty
- PATTERN Beauty
- Rare Beauty
Locations
- San Francisco
- United States