Matlho A Losika Il (Eyes Of The Lineage)

Artist Statement

My earlier work reflected on the perception of beauty and the societal expectations placed on women, explored through cosmetic inspired sculptures. As my practice developed, it naturally evolved toward hair, a material and subject deeply connected to my personal history. My work now reflects on inheritance and the sacred artistry of hair styling, a practice passed down from one generation to another.

My hair journey began in my father’s salon, where the scent of oils lingered in the air and where our bond was nurtured through the ritual of hairstyling. In the quiet rhythm of his hands moving through my hair, I began to understand his love, expressed not through words, but through care, gesture, and precision. The salon became our shared language, a place where beauty and emotion intertwined, and where memories were sculpted strand by strand.

Living with my grandmother introduced me to a different world of hair. She never used chemicals, only wool, her hands, and the slow patience of traditional hair maintenance.

Every twist, braid she created carried a prayer; every parting was a lesson in endurance, grace, and generational wisdom. From her, I learned that hair is far more than appearance, it is an identity, history and connection.My use of Black hair symbolises remembrance, and joy, a living material that carries ancestry,care, and self-expression. Through it, I reclaim hair as sacred and spiritual, worthy of preservation. Every strand tells a story of love, lineage, and legacy.

Through glass and the mixed media, I bring these two worlds together: the modern hairstyling I inherited from my father and the knowledge passed down by my grandmother.

Their influence continues through my hands, shaping how I create and how I honour those who came before me. My work celebrates hair as a living archive a site of self expression, spirituality, and joy as a young Black woman. It stands as a symbol of pride and a bridge between generations. Every strand tells a story of love, lineage, and legacy. I wear my heritage as my crown ,woven through time, carried through memory, and reborn through my art.