Laetitia Ky's Hair Sculptures as Feminist and Anti-Colonial Statements

Laetitia Ky (Abidjan, 1996) transforms her hair into dynamic sculptures that serve as feminist and third-worldist declarations. Drawing from pre-colonial African traditions where hairstyles communicated marital status, religion, or tribe, Ky creates abstract forms that challenge Western aesthetic norms. She references the work of Nigerian photographer J.D. Okhai Ojeikere (1930-2014), who documented traditional hairstyles. Ky's practice also engages with the legacy of Black Panthers' aesthetic affirmations and contemporary artists like Zehra Doğan (Diyarbakır, 1989), who used hair to create a scorpion silhouette against a menstrual-themed background. Ky's work, including the piece 'Scorpion Head,' combines painting and performance to assert presence and voice. She studied communication strategies before turning to art, as she explained in a 2023 interview with Fondazione Imago Mundi.