ENG
Lovena Vedrine - Black space
This project all started with Lovena’s relationship with her hair. Growing up as an adopted child in a white environment, her hair highlighted her difference. Unlike her skin, she could transform her hair to look like her friends. Going to the salon was about straightening or weaving, which were unpleasant processes. So, she began learning to style her own hair. This learning process was also about understanding the historical significance of Afro hair. Afro hair holds deep historical significance, tied to cultural identity, heritage, and resistance. For many years, Afro hair has been mistreated and stigmatized due to colonial and racist attitudes that viewed natural Black hair as inferior. This was a way to suppress Black identity and enforce Eurocentric beauty stan-dards.
A "Black space" refers to both physical and symbolic places where the identities and experiences of Black individuals are celebrated and central. These spaces include neighborhoods, institutions, gathering places, and even cultural spaces that affirm and value Black identities.
Afro hair salons are quintessential Black spaces. Managed and frequented by Black women, these salons are community hubs where women can meet, share their experiences, and support each other. Hairdressing, particularly braiding, is a metaphor for connecting with cultural roots and embracing one's identity. Lovena journey was not just about aesthetics but also about reclaiming her identity as a Black woman. The process of self-styling led to the creation of her own personal space of hair care.
The alignment of the benches symbolizes a personal transformation. The patterns on the bench serve as a graphic metaphor for the body schema. Just as braiding is a language and a symbol, these patterns reflect the intersection of personal experience and theoretical insights. They represent the scars and memories that shape our identities. Through the repetitive, soothing act of braiding, the performers inscribe these patterns, enacting a form of healing and reclamation.
Objective and Future Aspirations
The primary aim of "Black Space" performance is to open dialogue on everyday racism and the aesthetic and social norms that influence perceptions of Black beauty. By sharing personal stories and theoretical reflections, Lovena hopes to foster a broader understanding and recognition of Black cultural contributions. Ultimately, she hopes this performance sparks ongoing conversations about Black identity and spaces. The modular nature of the bench allows for the performance to be continually reconstructed, inviting new testimonies and reflections. This project is not an end but the beginning of a continuous dialogue that still needs to be addressed in 2024.
Lovena is a French artist and designer originally from Haiti but grew up in La Creuse. She studied commercial scenography in Le Havre, followed by interior ar- chitecture in Belgium, before pursuing her master’s degree in Geneva. Her work is rooted in an Afrofeminist practice, aiming to explore and affirm Black identities through her artistic creations and performances. Lovena draws inspiration from artists like Binta Diaw, Grada Kilomba, and Laetitia Ky. Her work aligns with these Black feminist artists, exploring and affirming Black identity and culture.
