Philadelphia artist Akiko Jackson is from Kahuku, a rural North Shore community on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i. A multimedia artist, Jackson uses materials that are accessible, often found materials that she says enable her to “make a connection to my background and where I come from—old clothing, ceramic, metal, fabric, hair—these tangible objects are dispensable in many ways, and I hold reverence for their historical agency and potential for transformation.”

Hair has been a source of inspiration for art throughout history. It has been the subject and used physically as a material. Jackson’s artwork visually explores hair and how it defines all of us. She considers hair as a “symbol to convey one’s identity, whether it be gender, race, beauty, and age.”

Here, Jackson has adapted roots embraced for this exhibition that she describes as “an installation of multiple sprouting hairs that protrude out from the wall and backed by gold mirror that reflects the movement of people within hundreds of strands macroscopically larger than life.”

From one’s earliest memories to present day, hair—loss of hair, no hair, texture of hair, color of hair, length, volume, and shape—has played a role in our lives. And similarly, Jackson informs her work with “memories of my upbringing and where I come from.” She asks us to consider: “How do we remain rooted with those we love, stay rooted with the identity of where we come from, and when do we gain a sense of belonging?”

Visit akikojackson.com.