AMA’S SALON
FUTURE HAIR SHOP POSTER
Asia Clarke
The Concept
The Ama’s Salon Future Hair Shop Poster project aims to create a science fiction-inspired vision and interpretation of traditional African hairstyles to be offered in a futuristic African hair salon called “Ama’s Salon”. This project explores how African women innovate Afro hair aesthetics, in a future where ethics, technology, and survival shift the functionality of hair in a changing digital world. To Afro-Caribbean diaspora women worldwide, the “Hair Shop Poster” has revolutionary feminist roots. African hair styling is a form of technology and self expression, in which the multi- functional uses have proven vital for cultural communication as well as survival and resistance in our post-colonial world. In my practice as an Afro-Caribbean hair artist, I am specifically inspired by stories of how our ancestors used braiding techniques as a form of resistance. Whether as maps, signifiers of social information, or means of transporting forbidden seeds and foods, Afro-Caribbean hair styling has served to protect us and advance us throughout generations.
The Ama’s Salon Future Hair Shop Poster project aims to create a science fiction-inspired vision and interpretation of traditional African hairstyles to be offered in a futuristic African hair salon called “Ama’s Salon”. This project explores how African women innovate Afro hair aesthetics, in a future where ethics, technology, and survival shift the functionality of hair in a changing digital world. To Afro-Caribbean diaspora women worldwide, the “Hair Shop Poster” has revolutionary feminist roots. African hair styling is a form of technology and self expression, in which the multi- functional uses have proven vital for cultural communication as well as survival and resistance in our post-colonial world. In my practice as an Afro-Caribbean hair artist, I am specifically inspired by stories of how our ancestors used braiding techniques as a form of resistance. Whether as maps, signifiers of social information, or means of transporting forbidden seeds and foods, Afro-Caribbean hair styling has served to protect us and advance us throughout generations.
The Story
Set in Ghana in the year 2056, Ama is a skilled hairstylist who secretly offers mental health therapy using a makeshift fMRI machine in her salon. The hairstyles are designed to help her clients address their mental health and wellness needs. As Ama braids intricate designs with electrical feedback wires into her client’s hair, she allows them access and modify their brain activity, storing their neuro-data in a covert database. Her salon is a trusted community safe space — a place for her community to store their deepest secrets, fears, anddesires. As a new frontier of neuro- data surveillance threatens to takeover the last place of freedom for women, Ama’s Salon is a place where women are still free to think for themselves. AMA’S SALON will eventually become a short film, therfore this visual concept is bringing to life a small portion of the eventual final output of this project. Exploring themes of identity, morality, therapy and technology, the hairstyles created will reflect a continuation of the legacy of Black resiliency through our hairstyles.
Set in Ghana in the year 2056, Ama is a skilled hairstylist who secretly offers mental health therapy using a makeshift fMRI machine in her salon. The hairstyles are designed to help her clients address their mental health and wellness needs. As Ama braids intricate designs with electrical feedback wires into her client’s hair, she allows them access and modify their brain activity, storing their neuro-data in a covert database. Her salon is a trusted community safe space — a place for her community to store their deepest secrets, fears, anddesires. As a new frontier of neuro- data surveillance threatens to takeover the last place of freedom for women, Ama’s Salon is a place where women are still free to think for themselves. AMA’S SALON will eventually become a short film, therfore this visual concept is bringing to life a small portion of the eventual final output of this project. Exploring themes of identity, morality, therapy and technology, the hairstyles created will reflect a continuation of the legacy of Black resiliency through our hairstyles.
Previous Example
I am seeking funding to support me in creating a digital art piece that features a set of 10 Afro-Tech Hairstyle prototypes. This will serve as a stand alone visual component for my ongoing recently written film concept. These hairstyle prototypes are intended as a visual language that ultimately expands the legacy of Black resiliency through hairstyling, combining ancient practices with tech-aided therapy advancements.
I am seeking funding to support me in creating a digital art piece that features a set of 10 Afro-Tech Hairstyle prototypes. This will serve as a stand alone visual component for my ongoing recently written film concept. These hairstyle prototypes are intended as a visual language that ultimately expands the legacy of Black resiliency through hairstyling, combining ancient practices with tech-aided therapy advancements.
Asia Clarke
EN
Asia Clarke is an Afro-Caribbean / Canadian Multidisciplinary Artist, Designer, Hairstylist and Consultant who centres sustainability and futures-thinking in her various practices. Living between Toronto and Accra, she is passionate about re-envisioning futures and helping communities, clients and brands to envision and actualize their creativity. With over 15 years of experience in the arts, international development and strategic foresight, she has worked on community economic empowerment and youth entrepreneurship projects in Canada, Dominica, Trinidad, eSwatini and Ghana.
FR
Asia Clarke est une artiste, designer, coiffeuse et consultante afro-caribéenne et canadienne multidisciplinaire qui met l'accent sur la durabilité et la réflexion sur l'avenir dans ses diverses pratiques. Vivant entre Toronto et Accra, elle est passionnée par l'idée de repenser l'avenir et d'aider les communautés, les clients et les marques à envisager et à actualiser leur créativité. Avec plus de 15 ans d'expérience dans les arts, le développement international et la prospective stratégique, elle a travaillé sur des projets d'autonomisation économique des communautés et d'entrepreneuriat des jeunes au Canada, à la Dominique, à Trinidad, à l'eSwatini et au Ghana.
PT
Asia Clarke é uma artista, designer, cabeleireira e consultora multidisciplinar afro-caribenha/canadiana que centra a sua atividade na sustentabilidade e no pensamento do futuro. Vivendo entre Toronto e Accra, é apaixonada por re-visionar futuros e ajudar comunidades, clientes e marcas a visionar e atualizar a sua criatividade. Com mais de 15 anos de experiência nas artes, no desenvolvimento internacional e na prospetiva estratégica, trabalhou em projectos de capacitação económica comunitária e de empreendedorismo juvenil no Canadá, Dominica, Trinidad, eSwatini e Gana.
