The purpose of Rice’s work is to discuss the struggles that black women face with embracing the natural texture (and not thermally and chemically straightened) of their hair and appearance. For many black women, identity is indistinguishably linked to their relationship to, and presentation of, their hair. These prints help to explore black women’s power through resisting the mainstream norms while illuminating the complex rules that black beauty and hair plays in history and in the lifetime of a black woman. Inspired by the style of afro-futurism, this artwork is meant to reimagine blackness as well as bring these issues to the forefront by discussing the effects that Euro-American beauty standards have had, and are still having, on black women. Artist reception is Saturday, September 10 from 6pm to 10pm.