The Amsterdam Open Space Contemporary Art Museum (OSCAM), dedicated to art, fashion, design, craftsmanship, and development, will unveil its inaugural exhibition, What's the 411: STRANDS & STRUCTURES, curated by Esmeralda Tan, on Saturday, 22 February, from 19:00 to 22:00 hrs.
The What's the 411 series celebrates the vibrant diaspora community in Accra, Ghana. STRANDS & STRUCTURES, the third edition in the series, is a photo-documentary exhibition created by multidisciplinary hair artist Asia Clarke and creative director and photographer Christian Saint. The exhibition explores the intersection of hair and the body. Hair sculptures, captured in photographic "Hair Portraits," uncover the intricate relationships between aesthetics, symbolism, and urban evolution. "We are celebrating Africa's uniqueness with style and substance, showcasing the beauty and complexity of Accra's evolving story," say the creators, who have previously collaborated with Vogue Magazine and photographer Sakir Khader.
Join curator Esmeralda Tan in conversation with Asia Clarke and Christian Saint for the Amsterdam debut of STRANDS & STRUCTURES.
You can get tickets to the opening here.
Workshop curated by Esmeralda Tan
Following the opening, a seminar on hair sculptures by Asia Clarke will take place on 27 February. This workshop, which focuses on African hair aesthetics, will engage participants’ creativity and teach the process of creating hair sculptures. All necessary hair supplies will be provided, allowing participants to craft their own sculptures during the session. By the end of the workshop, each participant will have created their own unique hair sculpture. There are 15 spots available for this event, which will be held on 27 February from 16:00 to 18:00. RSVP is required via this link.
Panel Talk and After Party
The following day, Friday, 28 February, from 17:00 to 22:00, join Asia Clarke and Christian Saint, along with a distinguished lineup of Amsterdam-based creatives, for the STRANDS & STRUCTURES panel discussion and closing party at OSCAM. The talk will cover a range of topics, including African Diaspora Relations, Black Hair Aesthetics, Ghana’s Global Cultural Renaissance, and how African artists are reflecting the times through art.
About the artists
Creative Director & Concept Hair Artist Asia Clarke is a Canadian-born Afro-Caribbean multidisciplinary creative with a passion for transforming hair, jewellery, beauty, and styling. She is also a researcher, forecaster, strategist, freelance writer, and community builder. Passionate about unique, futuristic, and innovative representations of the African diaspora in media and art, her work has been featured in numerous publications, including Vogue NL, GQ Middle East, Citizen Mag, the Wall Street Journal, and Dazed Magazine.
Creative Director & Multidisciplinary Artist Christian Saint is a Ghanaian multidisciplinary artist, film director, and creative producer, deeply inspired by African imagery and storytelling from the continent. Each of his projects reflects his belief that “as Africans, we are the custodians of our own history.” Saint has contributed to notable projects with brands and artists such as Beats by Dre, Atlantic Records UK, Daily Paper, Rema, Roc Nation, Trapstar, EMPIRE, DAZED, Adidas, ON, Skepta, Trapstar London, and Sarkodie, among others. He has also collaborated creatively with prominent publications including GQ, Complex, Hypebeast Arabia, and The FADER.
