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What is your latest sculpture?
My latest sculpture is a flower pot that turns an Afro into flowers. Like flowers, an Afro also needs hydration to grow properly.
What’s your favourite one so far?
My favourite series is the one with the hair sculpted into the shape of hands.
What inspires the designs?
I can be inspired by everything and nothing at the same time. Ideas generally come to me without having thought about them before, like a flash, very intuitively. And, when the ideas do come, I think about how to turn them into reality.
Growing up, what was hair to you?
(Laughs) My hair was just … my hair. I didn’t really take care of it and didn’t pay it much attention … I didn’t particularly like nor dislike it.
It’s whimsy and fashion.
Do you think the art world needs to lighten up a bit?
I think the world of art is already very much alight. We can find a bit of everything, and every day artists push reflection and creativity further. It warms my heart. In certain environments, like mine in Ivory Coast, artists should be more imposing.
Do you think Instagram is becoming more important than art galleries?
Instagram can play the role of an art gallery with the advantage of eliminating geographical constraint and facilitating engagement with the artist. But an art gallery remains irreplaceable. To be able to admire original artwork in its original size and sometimes interact with it is very important, and can intensify emotion with regard to the artwork.
What doors have your photos opened?
Lots of opportunities, such as collaborations with celebrities, interviews with well-known media and magazines, and invitations to events.
What are you saying, especially to African girls, with your work?
I want to show them that true beauty is to embrace one’s difference and one’s individualism. They have to stop being embarrassed and ashamed of who they are and start to express themselves freely. I want to show them that affirming one’s individualism doesn’t always attract negative feedback. They have to be confident in themselves and take control of who they are.
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about your gorgeous work?
I’m not just a hair artist, by the way, I’m actually working on a clothing brand with the same vibe as my hair creations. Extravagant and creative!
