In African American culture, hair has always been important in regards to the female body. In this era, an African American female is judged by her hair more often than not. Just by looking at a woman’s hair, whether it’s hers or not, it can tell a lot (or so, they think so): her living situation, how she carries herself, and even her sexuality. All this information, just by looking at someone’s hair. Clearly, when written on paper or read aloud, this sounds completely bogus and absurd. It makes no sense that someone should be judged based on their appearance at all, let alone their hair. However, this has been going on in the Black community for years, and may never stop. In Keturah Ariel’s painting of a teenage girl in the midst of her large, curly afro, she shows the perfect example of how much a black female’s hair means to her. 

In the painting, the first thing that pops out is her hair. However, her positioning in the painting is just as important. The African American girl is sitting with her legs crossed and she is holding them close to her, as she would as if she was afraid of something. She holds her legs in that certain fashion because she is hiding her body, in order to self-consciously accentuate her hair. She is in fact, scared. She hides behind this hair, because she has never known anything more. Ever since she was a child, her hair has always been the center of attention, which was never her doing. People have constantly forced it upon her with their questions and comments: “Honey, your hair is so beautiful, don’t you ever cut those precious curls,” as if cutting her hair would cut her soul as well. The famous “What are you mixed with?” is the most insulting. As if an African American girl can’t have “good hair” without being mixed. It always comes off as an insult, because she is mixed with nothing, she is just Black, and Black is who she is. With so much hair, she is so noticeable, yet always finds a way to hide behind her lion hair.

The bigger, the better. The child sits with her hair so long that she sits on it. It’s so big and puffy that it almost engulfs her. Over the past years, her hair has been so apart of her life that it seems to have completely taken over her. It has a mind of its own, thinking for itself, and in time, controlling her. She listens to it. It tells her what to wear, and even how to feel. Sometimes it may be too big or too frizzy. Other times not big enough. However her hair feels, she feels too. If it’s too big, she may feel as if she is too big as well. As she walks through crowds of people, she feels them stare at her hair and whisper comments like “How is her hair so big?” A question she will never be able to clearly answer herself. When her hair is too messy, and out of place, she may feel the need to dress that way as well. Messy hair calls for messy clothes, because after all, what is she without her hair?

Splashes of blue in the painting represent the pain she hides inside. In the painting, she has somewhat of a smile on her face, but not a large, happy smile. She is not upset or angry in any way, but she does not look necessarily happy either. Her face isn’t completely straight, but she also shows no teeth either. There shows a slight curvature in her lips that give away a smile. As more of a smirk, it gives the viewer the idea that the girl isn’t very happy. She smiles, but she is not happy. Sort of like she is afraid, or has something she needs to get off her chest, but pushes it away, and just gives a tiny smile instead. Around her there are splats of blue that are accompanied by a warm magenta color. The blue color also gives an impression that the girl is not happy about something. Particularly, her hair, or the way her hair makes her feel. It gives the painting a dreary feeling, and even takes away from the amount of hair a bit. The other splashes of magenta give the painting a sense of warmness and happiness, contrasting against the blue color. The color is warm, but it is not too bright either, making sure that it gives off a sense of contentment, rather than happiness, or excitement. The girl is also dressed in the same magenta color, and her lips are painted almost the exact same color as well. Dressing her in the color helps contrast against part of the blue foundation she is sitting above. She sits afraid, but she deals with it, and even finds contentment with it. 

She is not her hair. The small, timid, afraid girl is much more than just her hair. She doesn’t realize it yet, but she is everything but her hair. Deep inside, she has so much more to offer, yet she still sits afraid, and lets her hair do the talking for her. It is extremely overwhelming for her; the size, the shape, the texture, and it shows. On the inside, she is this fearless, courageous, and unstoppable girl. However, she lets the volume of her hair overtake the volume of her entire life. Her beautiful personality hides behind those luxurious curls. As long as she continues to hold on to her mane, the more she fades away, and the harder it gets to find herself. 
