Hair Is A Woman’s Glory (2018)

Hair Is A Woman’s Glory (2018)
Digital. Archival Ink on Cotton Rag. 24 x 42.72in. each
(There 9 pieces in this series)

The series, Hair Is a Woman’s Glory, explores the complex and often contradictory ways in which women’s bodies are exploited by structures of power.

Each piece in the series features a self-portrait centered around a halo of calligraphic text that repeats the Turkish word for hair, ‘saç.’ The visual motif references both ancient and modern cultural attitudes towards women’s hair, which has often been a site of religious and social control. The Medusa-like hair in my portraits is a deliberate nod to women’s movements in the Middle East, such as the Chich Women’s Bicycle Tour and the White Wednesdays protests, which challenge oppressive gender roles and demand greater visibility and agency for women.

By titling the series in reference to a Bible verse which forbids women to expose their hair, I anticipate and subvert the potential for a simplistic ‘Western values vs. Eastern cultures’ debate. Instead, I invite viewers to consider the universal nature of power dynamics and the ways in which women’s bodies are used to reinforce or challenge them.