Bouffant Pride 2003

How many figures can you recognise in this image? The mixed-media collage ‘Bouffant Pride’ (2003) by the American artist Ellen Gallagher (b. 1965) brings together black and white headshots of 65 Black public figures. To create this artwork, Gallagher transformed a wig advertisement from ‘Ebony’ – an African American magazine which was popular during the 1960s. 🪮 The hair of each figure has been cut out, leaving a blank space. Gallagher has then placed coloured card behind the cutouts, giving each figure bright yellow hair. Hair plays an important role in both cultural and individual identity. it is often used as a form of personal expression. Why would the artist choose to emphasise and exaggerate the hairstyles of these famous people? Perhaps she is commenting on the racialised beauty standards of the 1960s, which were often unachievable for African American individuals. By highlighting this issue, Gallagher encourages us to reflect on the social expectations in place today. As well as the hair cutouts, Gallagher has painted over the eyes of each figure using white acrylic paint. This symbolises a sense of lost identity, which is reinforced by the rectangular pieces of card glued underneath each face. The cards cover each figure’s name. In the lower left corner, we see the side profile of an African American woman. Here, Gallagher has attached black plasticine to the paper. This plasticine has been shaped into an unrealistically huge, exaggerated Afro-style wig. Embedded into the plasticine are numerous googly eyes. What could Gallagher be saying here? Many of Ellen Gallagher’s artworks explore the themes of race, gender, and identity in the contemporary era. Here, she has transformed existing images from mass media and popular culture into a thought-provoking work.