Afra Al Dhaheri’s works are deeply rooted in her own experiences growing up in Abu Dhabi while studying art and working as a hair stylist. By using inorganic architectural materials such as rope and concrete alongside delicate, ephemeral organic materials like human hair, she expresses through her art that seemingly opposing concepts—public and private, inside and outside, strength and fragility—actually exist side by side.
For Aichi Triennale 2025, three works related to “hair” are presented from the pieces she exhibited in her 2021 solo exhibition in Dubai. Split Ends, which uses the hard, solid material of cement to convey the softness of hair that easily frays and breaks, symbolizes texture, transformation, and the time and space between beginnings and endings—or endings and new beginnings. The space, segmented by countless ropes hanging from the ceiling, is designed so that viewers can experience an intimate connection with the work through the movement of their own bodies.
In contrast, the act of gathering hair, securing it with tape, and stretching it straight in One at a Time (To Detangle Series) demonstrates the delicacy, complexity, and strength of human hair. The repetition and iterative processes characteristic of Al Dhaheri’s work not only expand the perception of time but also provide a way for viewers to deeply experience and savor each stage of the work.