Natural Heir: The Arisa White Extension Exhibition

Beautiful Things Project presents Natural Heir: The Arisa White Extension, a photographic collaboration with Nye’ Lyn Tho. For the Natural Heir series, Nye’ replaces the subject’s hair with beautiful plant life that represents African and African American cultures. However, in The Arisa White Extension, the models’ hair will be graphically altered with images inspired by poems from White’s You’re the Most Beautiful Thing That Happened. The five participating models, who are queer and trans black women, include: Janet Halfin, health education specialist for TransVision, Tri-City Health Center; Zakiya Harris, cultural architect, artist, and founder of Hack the Hood; UC Berkeley doctoral candidate Kerby Lynch; ecotherapist and Oricha priest J. Phoenix Smith, founder of EcoSoul; and visual artist and educator Orlonda Uffre. The evening includes the unveiling of the photographic portraits, a poetry reading, and a Q& A. Funded by the Akonadi Foundation, Beloved Community Fund.