U.S. photographer Pierre Jean-Louis recently turned the natural hair of African Americans into artistic portrayals of woodlands and starlights. The picturesque feat attracted thousands of followers on his Instagram page and offered support to African Americans who are ridiculed for wearing natural hair.
With the recent case of a London woman being warned by her employers to choose wigs over her natural hair or risk losing her job, Jean-Louis’ rich collection of African Americans displaying their rich African identity is a breath of fresh air.
And luckily, Jean-Louis is not alone in showcasing natural hair. In fact, at this year’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala, a number of celebrities, including Lupita Nyong’o, Amandla Stenberg, Solange Knowles, and Willow Smith, took turns sending out a strong African message with their natural hair.
At the time, Nyongo’o told Vogue magazine,”The sculptural hairdos from all around the [African] continent…my hairstyle was a nod to Nina Simone.”
Enjoy Jean-Louis’ collection above.
