Alisa Sikelianos-Carter, B.A.D. (Black Amethyst Dragon), 2018. Courtesy of the artist.
Alisa Sikelianos-Carter’s inkjet prints transform pictures of hair into vibrant and suggestive new shapes. The artist finds photographs of braids, cornrows, and twists on the internet and in catalogues, then scans them into Photoshop and arranges them into striking new compositions. The manipulated images suggest portraits, crafts, and plantlife. After she prints her arrangements onto archival paper, Sikelianos-Carter glues glitter to the surface. In the finished works, her source material takes on mystical new dimensions in a celebration of blackness.
The artist started using the material to accentuate her work without overpowering it; she notes that one doesn’t need a lot of glitter to make a statement. “You can’t help but look at it,” she said. “It’s striking, distracting, and intoxicating. My work has similar qualities, so it was an obvious pairing. I love how it instantly adds magic, glamour, and an air of luxury.” Sikelianos-Carter also notes environmental concerns: The microplastics in glitter are terrible for the Earth and our bodies. Now, she’s seeking a comparable material that’s more sustainable.
