Favour Jonathan has been documenting the beauty of her black hair and her Nigerian heritage through her series "A Statement of Pride." Her series displays Jonathan herself in a variety of beautiful hair looks that she styles herself. Whether it be slicked down edges, braids, short fros, hats, bantu knots or more, we see Jonathan giving us a range of beauty and representation. And we love it.
But we aren't the only ones. Jonathan even landed an Apple ad thanks to "A Statement of Pride" as a part of the brand's "Selfies on iPhone X" campaign.
Jonathan studies photography at Central Saint Martins school in London. She told AnOther magazine that at her university there's a lot of diversity in hairstyles. But once you leave that bubble and go into the "real world," there's a lot more judgment from people.
"But if it makes you happy," she says, "Which I believe is the most important thing in this world, then it doesn’t matter what people have to say about it or what kind of person they think you are"
She continues to switch up her look, document it along the way and share the inspiration that helps her to define her own identity and personal style through the project. But she recognizes the beauty is not just in the hair itself, but the traditions behind it.
“I also love the traditions linked with hair," she says. "In Africa, you can identify a person by the pattern of their braids – like the inverted tiny braids of the Fulani people. No matter where they are in Africa, from east to west, you know who they are. Some hairstyles and cuts in Nigeria can sometimes be used to identify your age, your title, and even your marital status.”
Keep up with Favour Jonathan on Instagram for more from "A Statement of Pride."
