“Black women’s heads of hair are galaxies unto themselves, solar systems, moonscapes, volcanic interiors.”- Elizabeth Alexander.

Using advertising photographs of black women (and men) drawn from vintage issues of Ebony and Jet magazines, the exquisite and thought-provoking collages of world-renowned artist Lorna Simpson explore the richly nuanced language of hair. Surreal coiffures made from colorful ink washes, striking geological formations from old textbooks, and other unexpected forms and objects adorn the models to mesmerizingly beautiful effect.

born August 13, 1960, is an African-American photographer and multimedia artist. She made her name in the 1980s and 1990s with artworks such as Guarded Conditions and Square Deal. 

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Simpson was showing work through solo exhibitions all over the country, and her name was synonymous with photo-text artworks. In her early work around the 80s and 90s, she tries to portray African American women in a way that is not derogatory or actual representations of the women portrayed.

Her works have been included in numerous exhibitions both nationally and internationally. She is best known for her photo-text installations, photo collages, and films.

Prior to receiving her BFA, Simpson traveled to Europe, Africa, and the United States where she further developed her skills through documentary photography.

Simpson sets two women side-by-side; a household servant from 1860 and a wealthy homeowner from 1960. allowing parallel and haunting relationships to be drawn. 

She commented, “I do not appear in any of my work. I think maybe there are elements to it and moments to it that I use from my own personal experience, but that, in and of itself, is not so important as what the work is trying to say about either the way we interpret experience or the way we interpret things about identity.”