American artist Alisa Sikelianos-Carter uses her mixed-media pieces to explore the intricate complexities of Black hair and its role as a symbol of empowerment and resilience in the face of systemic inequalities. She creates large works that abstract images of braids and flowing hair, infusing them with cosmic and geographic inspirations that portray Black people as divine beings. These pieces amplify the representation of Black people in art and reflect the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Reduced Inequalities.
Sikelianos-Carter views Black hair as a divine technological adaptation that Black people have carried throughout history; a sort of tool which allows them to navigate their daily struggles. In her pieces, such as There’s a Wave in Every Cell, she presents her viewers with a surreal space that resembles hair strands and cells when looked under a microscope, transforming them into abstractions.
There’s a Wave in Every Cell also represents individual hair cells as floating Black bodies while Black hands reach for them from a ground made up of, yet again, strands of hair. This evokes a sense of planetary interconnectedness, where she shows that hair and cells at the molecular level can resemble the ground and the sky above. This poetically resonates with Black people who see themselves represented in the piece, reminding them that they are part of something bigger, at a cosmic scale.
Sikelianos-Carter has also empowered individual Black hair cells by making them appear as though they are clouds floating in the sky. This portrayal also exists in her piece Mind of My Mind, where Black hair has been shaped as abstract forms that resemble mountains and trees. This challenges negative stereotypes around Black hair, which view it as unkempt and dirty, by instead celebrating its inherent beauty and presenting it as something naturally occurring and gargantuan.
In her other pieces, such as Black Pearl, Blue Ocean and All That We Left Behind, she explores the vastness of space and the existential questions that looking up at the night sky can evoke within humankind. Here, Sikelianos Carter juxtaposes images of Black hair with abstract representations of celestial objects (such as asteroids and galaxies), not forgetting to include geographical concepts (such as corals and rock formations) to remind her viewers of where they stand. These pieces invite her viewers, especially Black people, to contemplate on their connection with not just the planet, but with the universe and their place within it.
In doing so, she challenges conventional notions of beauty and belonging, offering a vision of empowerment and liberation for Black people that transcends not only societal but also cosmic boundaries. In short, Sikelianos-Carter stands proud and proclaims that no matter what race or background someone comes from, we are all living together on this planet, which floats in the same cosmos.
In both Black Pearl, Blue Ocean and All That We Left Behind and Wild Delight, Sikelianos-Carter has also inserted a recurring Black figure with an asteroid for a head. This figure creates an intricate narrative and mythical imagery for a space where Blackness is celebrated and honoured as a divine manifestation. A direct line for Black viewers of her art to see themselves portrayed in the cosmos.
In an interview with Wassaic Project, Sikelianos-Carter spoke about how she views Afrofuturism as a guiding principle in her artistic practice. The philosophy, which often births science-fiction media, envisions a fully liberated future for Black life, free from the constraints of white supremacy and racism.
The scale of Sikelianos Carter's works also plays a crucial role in conveying the grandeur and significance of her message. Her pieces are usually large-scale, allowing her to immerse viewers in a transformative experience. She invites them to confront and engage with the themes of her work on a visceral level. In doing so, she creates a space for longer contemplation and reflection, as their size compels viewers to stay with her pieces longer by going through their different details.
Through her art, Alisa Sikelianos Carter invites her viewers to imagine a world where Black people are celebrated, Black hair is revered and systemic inequalities are dismantled. By abstracting Black hair as the planet’s horizon, cosmic landscapes and celestial beings, she offers a powerful vision of Black empowerment and liberation. Her pieces challenge audiences to embrace the richness and diversity of the human experience despite race. They remind society of the transformative potential of art to inspire change and pave the way towards a more equitable and just place.