This piece reflects the calm after a storm and honours the layered experiences of Black parenthood across time. What began as a simple and familiar moment between a parent and child revealed something unexpected. Many people who have viewed this work have shared memories of their own experiences. Some remember being the child who resisted without knowing why, while others recall being the parent trying to move with patience.
Braiding hair is a form of care, a ritual that many black people know well. When a once “easy going” child asserts themselves it can feel sudden but it mirrors what many of us once did without realizing it. This ritual can unravel quickly and in that unraveling, understanding often has room to appear.
Viewers have shared that they see humour, memory and the intended nurturing in the image depending on where they are in their own story. For some, it recalls the strength and silence their parents carried and for others, it speaks to raising children who reflect them in unexpected ways.
This piece is not tied to a single experience. It makes space for memory, growth and reflection to exist together and reminds us that love is not control but guidance and return.