If Nostalgia Were Colored Brown

washington d.c. artist nakeya brown explores black beauty and identity in her nostalgic snaps.

INTERVIEW SOPHIE KALAGAS

Tell us, what’s the concept behind your series If Nostalgia Were Colored Brown?

If Nostalgia Were Colored Brown uses objects associated with home life and beautification processes as building blocks in constructing identity and black feminine spaces of self-care. I’m interested in the language and connective power of objects. Each tableau is a place where intimacy, womanhood, culture and blackness are brought together to cultivate a sense of nostalgia.

The vibe of the pictures is very ’60s or ’70s, when afro hair was all the rage and very much a political statement. How do you feel looking back at that time, compared to now?

In a lot of my work, I draw inspiration from the pains and joys of the African-American experience. Looking back, I’m in awe of how those complexities manifested into a groovy, conscious, soulful and richly beautiful aesthetic that shaped an entire cultural identity. I embrace and hold onto the way our cultural production of the mid-century has influence even 50 years later.

What is your own experience of the hairdresser as a young black girl, and later, woman?

Up until college, either my mum or a stylist handled my hair, which had been chemically processed for much of my time as a girl. I didn’t see afros much, but I saw braid styles quite a bit. I’ve had memorable experiences of bonding, and not-so-great ones, too. I’m a mother of one, soon to be two young girls. I hope the experiences my daughters have will be different – hopefully there’ll be a wider variety of representation and the mainstream perceptions of beauty will be more inclusive.

Describe the process of putting the shoot together. Did you have specific items in mind, or was it more a case of ‘you’ll know it when you see it’?

I’ve been making these stills since 2014. It’s always been a process of seeking in real time. I’ve never purchased any props on eBay or anything; mostly they were sourced at various vintage shops and thrift stores. I have a set of rules when I’m searching: the vinyl record sleeve has to be very image-focused with an R&B soul diva on the cover. The tools are typically combs, grease, gel, dryers, rollers, satin scarves – objects that have a presence in black beauty rituals. I build an environment around the scale, shape and colour of an object.

Have you ever rocked any of the styles depicted on the record sleeves?

I currently wear a half-blonde afro!

Tell us a bit about the palette you’ve used. It’s so bright and colourful! Why did you make that choice?

I wanted a work that was emotive and celebratory on impact – not critical, not demonising, not overly sexualised. I wanted to put the joy and magic of black womanhood in the formal components of my photos, because without work of this nature, we as black women lose an uplifting facet of our narrative.

How do you want the viewer to feel while looking at these images?

That black women are beautiful and have been beautiful for generations.

More broadly, how do you use photography to explore race and gender?

The truth is, the medium of photography and the way it’s been historicised erases the voices of women and people of colour. We’re often subjects without power, or incredibly devoted producers that don’t receive recognition and accolades. I make images that pull from my experiences as a black woman, in order to push against the invisibility narrative.

Who are some other photographers or artists of colour you’re inspired by?

Photography-wise, Lorna Simpson, Barbara Katzen, Carrie Mae Weems, Mickalene Thomas and Deana Lawson inspire me. Writers such as Maya Angelou, bell hooks and Audre Lorde are inspirations, too.

What’s something we should know about you?

I’m not just a photographer. I also teach middle school photography, art and film. When I’m really inspired, I write, as well.

Where can we see more of your work?

nakeyabrown.com