#193 Laetitia Ky Revolutionises the Feminist Politics of Afro Hair and Art

FiLiA

We are delighted to interview Ivorian artist, social commentator and author Laetitia Ky on the FiLiA Podcast. She is a political artist known for her hair sculptures, which she uses to raise awareness about the structural inequality and oppression of women and girls. She is a one-of-a-kind artist, activist and creative voice based in the Ivory Coast. Laetitia taught herself how to use dreads and wire to challenge the way afro hair is portrayed culturally in patriarchy and how it can be used as a tool of feminist solidarity.

Her unique sculptures, created using her afro hair and just wires (without specialised products), are mediated through photography and videos, and celebrate the artist's roots around themes that are often delicate and uncomfortable. She is the author of “Love and Justice: A Journey of Empowerment, Activism, and Embracing Black Beauty” and exhibits her work, to critical acclaim, around the world.

Laetitia Ky speaks with FiLiA Spokeswoman Raquel Rosario Sánchez about her use of hair as a professional art medium, the political messages behind her art, the oftentimes oppressive way girls and women are treated in patriarchal society and the differences, in her view, between Global North versus Global South feminism.

You can follow Laetitia Ky’s groundbreaking work on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok. You can purchase her work through her gallery and find her book “Love and Justice: A Journey of Empowerment, Activism, and Embracing Black Beauty” in all excellent libraries.
Buy Laetitia's book from the FiLiA Book Shop.