Water of my head

Water of my head (Omi Ori mi)

Water of My Head explores the relationship between water, destiny, spiritual renewal, and African cultural beliefs surrounding cleansing and divine intervention. Drawing from traditions in which water bodies hold spiritual significance, the work considers the practice of washing the head as an act of release, renewal, and the seeking of divine answers. The project emerges from my interest in the testimonies of people who have washed their heads with water through prayer, believing in the possibility of spiritual intervention and transformation. These accounts raise questions that continue to inform my practice: What does it mean to seek change through water? What are we hoping to release, and what do we hope to receive? The head occupies a central position in this inquiry, representing more than the physical body. It becomes a site of identity, destiny, consciousness, and spiritual significance. By bringing seashells into proximity with the head, I explore the relationship between water, nature, and the forces believed to shape human destiny. The shells reference the cultural and spiritual associations of the natural world, including their connection to Àjẹ́ within the specific framework of Yoruba thought that informs my practice. The visual language brings together Black women, traditional braided hairstyles, seashells, water, and a blue backdrop that evokes the depth and presence of the sea. The shells, carefully arranged along the braids, become more than adornment; they establish a symbolic connection between the head and water. Water touching the skin introduces the idea of cleansing, while the blue backdrop extends its presence into the space surrounding the figures. Through these elements, I explore spiritual beauty as a relationship between the body, cultural memory, nature, and the divine. Rather than offering definitive answers, Water of My Head remains an ongoing inquiry into the meanings people attach to water, the beliefs that sustain their spiritual practices, and the possibility of renewal through encounters with the natural world.