“Shear Elegance” by Kolby Delce-Haynes
Black women and their hair extend beyond a bond; it symbolizes a multitude. Being the son of a beautician, I spent countless hours in my mother’s salon. Early on, I knew that the extended trailer that housed my mother’s first salon was a safe haven where women could share their innermost secrets, vent about life all while refreshing their crown and regaining their self-confidence.
This is Shear Elegance -- a photographic ode to Black women and their hair.
This body of work holds a special place in my heart for many reasons. It marked the first time I truly challenged myself as an artist by creating a project dedicated to celebrating Black women. I chose to honor my mother, a beautician since high school, as the inspiration behind this series. Memories of afternoons spent in her salon—surrounded by the hum of overhead dryers, the scent of hot Marcel curling irons, and the joy of playing in the shop after school—became the foundation of this work.
To make the project even more personal, I selected my sisters and niece as models, along with one additional individual, infusing it with an intimate and meaningful connection.
This series was proudly featured in The 40th Center Annual Exhibition hosted by the Houston Center for Photography and was later “Takedown” and “The Wash” were acquired by The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
https://emuseum.mfah.org/people/49550/kolby-delcehaynes/objects