Taiba Akhuetie's Hair Art Exhibition Set to Astound London

Taiba Akhuetie is a 34-year-old hair artist who's about to showcase her work at the Sarabande Foundation in London. She uses hair as her medium, constructing mundane items out of synthetic and human locks. This unique approach creates a sense of uncertainty - you're not sure whether you're in the presence of something alive or dead when you look at her creations.

Akhuetie wants people to be a bit confused by her work. She doesn't just focus on aesthetics; she's also exploring the concept of hair and its significance in our lives. Akhuetie's fascination with hair started when she was a child. She used to watch her auntie braid her sister's hair. She was taken aback by how quickly her fingers moved. Akhuetie also remembers doing plaits for her friends at school in Kingston, Surrey.

Akhuetie didn't always like having her hair in braids, though. Growing up in a white, middle-class area, she felt insecure about her Blackness and wanted to be like her peers. It wasn't until she surrounded herself with people who made her feel secure in her identity that she started to appreciate the beauty of braids. In 2014, she launched Keash Braids with her school friend Jessy Linton. Her passion for braiding led her to become a stylist and work with brands.

Akhuetie's big break came when she created a large umbrella affixed with abundant wefts of dirty-blond hair. The creation notched up 100,000 views on TikTok. Soon, the world of couture took notice of her wearable art. Vogue praised her "super textural and avant-garde garments", saying they give new meaning to the term "body hair". She's worked with celebrities like Rihanna, who asked her for a bespoke piece. She's also worked with Nigerian singer Tems, whom she dressed for a Met Gala afterparty.

"I want people to look at my work and go, 'What? I don't really understand how that's hair.' I also want people to be intrigued as to why I'm doing it." Akhuetie's goal is to challenge people's perceptions. She wants them to think about her work and wonder what it's all about.

Akhuetie's exhibition, titled The Tone, will feature her most ambitious work to date. It's a large, cylindrical patchwork of different types of hair stitched together. The show's centrepiece is composed of numerous colours and textures, speaking to the exhibition title. Another work in the show is a table studded with resin beads on its underside, titled Don't Touch My Table. This piece is a nod to the phrase "Don't touch my hair", a slogan of the natural hair movement.

The exhibition marks a personal milestone for Akhuetie, who didn't study art because she was insecure about being a Black person in the art world. She hopes to show people that her work is art. She wants to challenge the traditional notion of what art is. Akhuetie sources her hair from local suppliers like Pak's in Dalston. They give her a discount because of how much she buys. The brands she lists, like Impression and X-Pression, are all products that have recently been in her own hair, too.

As the art world continues to evolve, Akhuetie's work is a breath of fresh air. Her use of hair as a medium is not just unique; it's also a commentary on the way we perceive beauty and identity. With her exhibition set to open at the Sarabande Foundation, Akhuetie is sure to astound audiences with her incredible creations. She's pushing the boundaries of what we consider art, and that's what makes her work so exciting.