You heard it hear first. Yasemin Hussan is one to watch! Catching up with her in the wake of her London exhibition Talking Textures, it’s clear this award-winning stylist is on a mission to change the perceptions we have around hair texture. We’re behind you all the way Yasemin.
Talking Textures
Curated by Yasemin, the Talking Textures exhibition illuminated London’s Ugly Duck Venue earlier this month. Captured through the lens of photographer Yeliz Zaifoglu, the photo series dives deep into the intricate relationship between beauty, cultural identity, and the resilient nature of hair, especially within the Southwest Asian & North African (SWANA) communities.
“The images feature 13 different models and each concept addresses a derogative way to discuss our hair,” Yasemin explains. “‘Straggling Ends’ for example uses different aspects of hair to hide, while ‘Caught in the Rain’ addresses the wet-look we see in high-fashion, which is actually really hard to achieve.”
The exhibition also featured two short films, one related to a barbershop, which discusses the sense of the barber community that has become a bit lost in the western world as a result of advertising and capitalism. The second was entitled ‘In People’s Homes’ and gave people the opportunity to sit and chill while listening to what people had to say.
Decolonising texture
“The whole exhibition was about decolonising what people believe to be true about their hair texture,” continues Yasemin. “We need to challenge what society wants us to believe. Like frizz for example, we are led to believe we should try to tame frizz, but sometimes it’s good, frizz can add volume.” She adds: “We are encouraged to always look as clean and polished as possible but I question how achievable this is?”
As well as demonstrating the different curl patterns of the SWANA community, the exhibition also featured a Confession Booth, where visitors could discuss their hair woes.
“It was so interesting listening to what people had to say. It was clear that a lot of people have such an emotional relationship with their hair that runs really deep,” says Yasemin.
We’re pretty sure this won’t be the last we hear from Yasemin in her quest to champion for textured hair!
Find out more details from the exhibition HERE.
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