Ivory Coast artist Laetitia Ky works with an unusual medium – her hair. By incorporating hair extensions with her natural locs, she sculpts stunning images inspired by everything around her, including animals, musical instruments and women’s reproductive organs. Her work has garnered her an international fan base and over 521,000 followers on Instagram.
However, her relationship with her hair has been complex, one that began with her trying everything from relaxers to weaves to find a look that made her feel beautiful. But when she found the African American natural hair community in the United States, Ky says she felt at home and confident in her natural beauty.
“Appreciating my hair let me appreciate other things that made me black,” she says. “Like my skin. I’m very dark-skinned and the beautiful Ivorian woman is supposed to be light-skinned. When I started to love my hair, I started to love my skin, and I started to love the fact that I was black. And when I started to love the fact that I was black, it helped me to love the fact that I was a woman. Loving one thing led me to love another thing,” she told The Guardian.
We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite Laetitia Ky designs. Check out some of the stunning works of art she’s created with her hair.