All Photos By Gail
The role that adornment plays in identity formation is central to Tiff Massey’s multimedia artistic practice. I Remember Way Back When was included in her 2019 exhibition, Proud Lady, which explored black women’s lives through artworks centered on hair.
Work Detail
This work features Goody Snap-Tight Kiddie Barrettes, worn in various ways by children of all backgrounds, particularly in the 1980s. Reimagined as large wooden wall hangings, they occupy a space on par with their importance in a child’s imagination. Familial care, friendship, love, and joy are embodied in these simple hair decorations.
Photographed in the Museum of Arts of and Design in Manhattan.
