Chains and Crowns

Stéphane Alexis | Eastern Edge Gallery | March 29 – May 10, 2025

Reviewed by Laurabel Mba
 

Chains and Crowns by Stéphane Alexis is a breathtaking, thought-provoking art exhibit that honors the legacy, politics, and beauty of Black hair. Currently featured at Eastern Edge Gallery, this collection of photographs and mixed media pieces is not just a display of hairstyles—it’s a narrative about history, identity, resistance, and self-love.

When I first decided to visit the exhibit, I was looking forward to seeing Black hair honored as the art form it has always been. What I didn’t expect was how deeply emotional the experience would be. The moment I stepped into the gallery, I was met with pieces that felt both personal and communal.

The first artwork, A Family Affair, welcomes you with warmth. It showcases a vibrant collection of hairstyles commonly seen in Black households—skin shaves, short cuts, perms, presses, locs, braids, dyed, natural, and everything in between. It’s a celebration of variety and personality, and a beautiful reminder that Black families (and, more broadly, the Black community) are united through shared rituals, like doing hair.

As I moved through the gallery, I found myself standing in front of an image of a shaved head. At first, I assumed it represented a familiar trope—the “Black dad” haircut, especially among African fathers. But Alexis’s accompanying text reframed it completely. He explained how enslavers used skin shaves as a form of dehumanization—severing people from their cultural identities and communities by removing their hair, a deeply symbolic and spiritual part of many African traditions. It mirrored the violence of the ships that took them—stripping away connection, history, and self.

As a Black woman who’s often heard the phrase “your hair is your crown,” I felt the weight of that truth in an entirely new way. My thoughts turned to women living with alopecia, those who’ve shaved their heads as acts of resistance or healing, and to how we’re often expected to build our sense of self from what remains after loss. Hair is not just hair—it’s a site of memory, transformation, and reclamation.

Another piece showcased Ghana braids—a style rooted in tradition and survival. Alexis shares how cornrows were once used to store rice or map escape routes for those fleeing slavery. Then came an image of locs, highlighted and layered to show the evolving stages of someone’s life. Hair, in this context, becomes a living diary.

One of the most captivating pieces was Madras No. 7. In it, Alexis references the Tignon Laws of 18th-century Louisiana, which forced free Black women to cover their hair in public. But rather than hide their beauty, these women responded with creativity, using vibrant fabrics and elaborate styles to assert their presence. The work reflects how Black women have always resisted with style—turning attempted erasure into self-expression.

The most striking moments for me came with the “Don’t Touch My Hair” series. One piece featured a braid wrapped around a ball of Afro-textured hair, with strands peeking through. Another showed a protective braid with a pressed piece of hair flowing out. These visual metaphors explore how protective styles shield Black hair from invasive gazes and unsolicited touches, while also critiquing the idea that straightened hair is the only “acceptable” form of beauty. The message is clear: even when we conform, our hair is not for consumption.

Chains and Crowns is not simply an exhibit—it’s a masterclass in storytelling, resilience, and reclamation. Alexis guides viewers through an emotional landscape that invites reflection, challenges assumptions, and offers education with every image and caption.

If you’ve ever wondered why Black hair matters—or if you’ve always known and want to feel seen—this is an experience not to miss. Chains and Crowns is a stunning tribute to the ways Black hair carries culture, memory, resistance, and joy. Visit Eastern Edge Gallery before May 10th to witness how hair becomes history, heritage, and art.