Enighe.

The Story Behind the Artwork

Abua has got a word for beauty. Enighe- is a word for beauty in Abua language. Abua is an agrarian tribe in the Niger Delta region of Rivers State of Nigeria. In Abua, beauty is only regarded when it is in it's pure, simple, pristine and natural state without any form of ornamentation. The green Leafy dress, the coconut- it's content and the bamboo sipping straw, all symbolises naturallity. The straight strands of hairs which forms the contours of the cobwebs tells the story of the African heritage- that the African hair strands stands straight upward- celebrating the natural resilience, volume, and upward growing texture of Afro-textured hair which symbolises: Defiance to gravity, Cultural resistance and Resilience. * Defiance of gravity- the African hairs grows outward and upward to the sun. * Cultural resistance- this symbolically represents pride, heritage and refusal to submit to Eurocentric beauty standards that historically labelled natural coils as untamed. * Resilience- this highlights the strength and structural integrity of the hair strands, which maintains its rich volume and form without collapsing nor bowing down.