‘Tension’: Comic On Black Hair And Embracing Who You Are Now On Kickstarter

“Through the lens of an Afro-Asian woman, TENSION explores societal ‘norms’ & learning to accept and love one’s own natural curly hair.” I first came across artist Pearl Low, an Afro-Asian Storyboard Artist currently working in Vancouver, BC on Instagram after seeing photos of her digital exhibit on hair, internalized racism, and her experience as a Blasian person living in today’s world. Her comic Tension was used for the theme of that exhibit and against the bright pop of yellow from the art installation, familiar items like afro picks and an electric hair straightener can be seen. While the installation has come and gone, the comic that served as its inspiration is now using a Kickstarter campaign to help make another printing, a third! This time Low wants to make this printing in a softcover book format and make it available to an international audience. https://www.instagram.com/p/BmACNbxBsZD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link Ten·sion /ˈtenSHən/ 1.noun The state of being stretched tight; mental or emotional strain. The Black Hair Experience, just like the Black Experience, is not a monolith– It has many stories and unique expressions. TENSION adds to the conversation and story that is the diverse experience of Black Hair.

Black Hair is fascinating. Black Hair is a wonder to the world. And also the pit of many a joke as well. As a Black woman, at this point in my life– I really only care about narratives about Black hair written by Black folks now, in particular Black w…