Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure

(Performed first at Avenue 50 Studio Los Angeles on June 2, 2013 and most recently at Contemporary Irish Arts Center Los Angeles on June 19, 2019. )

Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure is an installation and public engagement ritualistic performance which uses tropes of Afro-Cuban religious folklore to explore the psyche and self-perception of the colonized Black woman. In a fun and textural way, the work raises awareness of a serious issue: the pervasive subconscious association of Blackness with wrongness, as evidenced in commonplace expressions such as “good hair” versus “bad hair.” Such dilemma is the root of the trauma Black women have experienced relative to our hair. The examination of these learned subconscious feelings of inadequacy, reflected in hairstyle, speaks to a larger audience. It creates conversation about the collective unconscious dependency born of colonialism.

Lili Bernard. Poster of Bottle Label for Oshun Hair Oil, Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, 2014. Digital Print, 31″x39″

Lili Bernard. Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure Installation for Performance (Altars that Double as Hair Salons for the Orishas Oshun, Nana Baruku, Yemaya and their Associated Saints La Virgen de La Caridad Del Cobre, Santa Ana and La Virgen de Regla, respectively), 2014. Acrylic Paint, Costume Jewelry, Sea Shells, Blow Dryers, Hair Oil, Mirrors, Afro Picks, Hair Combs, Basket, Bread, Ribbon, Steel Pails, Fans, Plastic Bottles, Straw, Wood, Cotton Towels, Peacock Feathers, Mop. Size varies.

DONNING and DISMISSAL of the CONQUEROR’S COIFFURE
a performance by Lili Bernard and Children

Care Critique Complicity Performance Art Exhibition
at Contemporary Irish Art Institute Los Angeles
Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA

June 16, 2019

Lili Bernard. Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, 2019. Contemporary Irish Arts Center Los Angeles

Lili Bernard. Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, 2019. Contemporary Irish Arts Center Los Angeles 1

Lili Bernard. Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, 2019. Contemporary Irish Arts Center Los Angeles

FULL PERFORMANCE ABSTRACT (scroll down for more photos)

The performance thematically highlights the socio-psychological affects of Criolization by incorporating the Afro-Cuban religion of Santeria, which arose from the syncretism of Catholicism and the African faith known as Ifá. The Orishas (African deities) and the Catholic Saints (with which they are syncretized) are represented by the performers and in the heavily codified installation, which contains alters that double as hair salons.

My 6 children portray roles of the Orisha Elegua, the Orisha Babalu Ayé, the Catholic Saint El Santo Niño de Atocha (the Christ Child) with whom Elegua is syncretized, a Conquistador and a helper. Three Black Women portray the water Orishas and their syncretized Catholic Saints: Yemayá who is syncretized with La Virgen de Regla, Oshun who syncretized with La Virgen de La Caridad del Cobre and Nana Baruku who is syncretized with Santa Ana who is the grandmother of Christ. The Three Black Women are all wearing white robes, each seated at a designated hair salon station. Free from chemical processing, their hair has been straightened by heat, prior to the performance.

A Singer enters, singing Ave Maria throughout. Volunteer Audience Members comb and brush the straightened hair of the Three Black Women. Elegua and El Santo Niño de Atocha, reenacting folklore, assist the Volunteers. The Singer ceases singing Ave Maria as Afro-Cuban Singers, Drummers and Dancers enter, performing throughout. With the help of the Audience, the Three Women ceremoniously douse their hair in water and dry it to reveal their natural Afros. Underneath the robes, the Three Women are each wearing the same T-Shirt, which is appropriated from the posters of the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike, on which black letters on a white background, read “I AM A MAN.”.

Other Women with straightened hair, and with the same T-shirt also hidden underneath their street clothes, are planted in the audience. They volunteer to have their hair ceremoniously doused and dried. At the end, the Three Women who played the water Orishas take off their white robes. The women from the audience who were planted and “volunteered” take off their top layer shirt. Resulting is a line of women, with naturally puffy hair, all wearing black T-shirts that say, “I AM A WOMAN” in white letters.

On April 27, 2014, during my MFA Solo Thesis Exhibition at the Leimert Park Vision Theatre, we performed the full piece for the first time, as an ensemble. I played Oshun-Caridad, Tonya Ingram played Yemaya-Regla and Lena Cole Dennis played Nana Baruku-Santa Ana. My kids played the Orishas and saints. Kati Hernandez and company performed Afro-Cuban dance and Baba Craig Ramos sang Orishas with his company of Afro-Cuban percussionist.

Below are some more pictures of various performances of the work and my artwork therein.

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DONNING and DISMISSAL of the CONQUEROR’S COIFFURE
a performance by Lili Bernard and Children

Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Solo Exhibit
Otis College of Art and Design
Leimert Park Vision Theatre, Los Angeles, CA

April 27, 2014

Baba Craig Ramos (Santeria priest) and Company perform for Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Yemayá Altar-Hair Salon Station, Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Lili Bernard. Poster of Bottle Label for Yemayá Hair Oil, Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, 2014. Digital Print, 31″x39″

Audience volunteers help comb straightened hair, Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Percussionist Bobby Wilmore (left) and Baba Miguel Garcia Villamil (right), Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Lili Bernard. Poster of Bottle Label for Nana Baruku Hair Oil, Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, 2014. Digital Print, 31″x39″

Volunteer audience members comb straightened hair, Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Volunteer audience members combed straightened hair, Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Lili Bernard. Oshun-Caridad Altar-Hair Salon for Donning & Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, 2014. Wood, Acrylic Paint, Costume Jewelry, Cowries, Blow-Dryer, Afro-Pick, Comb, Towel, Metal, Mirrors, Fan, Peacock Feathers, Nail Polish, Glass Bottle, Pennies, Butterscotch Candy, Brass Bowl, 36”x26”x26”

Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Kati Hernandez dances Yemayá, Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Hair Baptism, Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Katie Hernandez dances Yemayá, Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Dancer Dominique Labat volunteers to get her hair baptized, Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

My professor Karen Moss gets her hair wet, Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

I AM A WOMEN T-shirts appropriated from 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike I AM A MAN Posters. Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Kati Hernandez dances Oshun, Baba Craig Ramos sings Orishas, Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Kati Hernandez dances Ruumba, Baba Craig Ramos and Company on Vocals and Percussion, Donning and Dismissal of the Conqueror’s Coiffure, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Dominique Labat Praise Dance, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Roger Guenveur Smith performs Rodney King, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

Tonya Ingram performs Spoken Word, Lili Bernard MFA Thesis Exhibition, Leimert Park Vision Theatre, April 27, 2014, Los Angeles, CA

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DONNING and DISMISSAL of the CONQUEROR’S COIFFURE
a performance by Lili Bernard and Children

Mas Attack Exhibition
Torrance Art Museum, Torrance, CA

April 12, 2013