Kitchen
An exhibit created by Kiara Walls
Featuring work from Mason Biggers and Paola De La Cruz
Kitchen explores the relationship between hair and intimacy while centering the experiences of Black clientele and stylists/barbers. The film and exhibit celebrates stories told by Black voices to archive the oral histories surrounding the physical space, care and intimacy that is cultivated through hair styling and how it originated in the Kitchen.
This exhibit adopts a poetic storytelling approach by delving into the perspectives of both the clients and stylists/barbers, all the while acknowledging the historical and political context that envelops this particular experience. Highlighted are Oregon’s longest running Black-owned business and hair salon and barbershop, Deans Beauty Salon, as well as Natural Hair and Extensions, the first natural hair salon in the Pearl District.