Favour Ben’s art is all about the human hair and the stories one can draw from them. She refuses to show her subject’s faces, believing that the hair and the back of their head portray all the information needed. The human hair being one of the barest extensions of self tells a lot about the individual carrying it. It shows disposition, capability, tribe and culture. It can be telling of health, spirit, wealth, and attention to detail. All these are just a few things Favour Ben puts into perspective when creating art.

Favour Ben has always considered herself creative, she started her artistic journey as a stage actor in secondary school and her early days at the university. Picking up screenwriting and filmmaking skills and she received support from her mother while growing up. Her father on the other hand wasn’t quite interested in the creative industry but in the formal education to prestigious job pipeline and when the time came to further her education, Favour picked Accounting Education at Ekiti State University. She chose this course to appease conflicting family disposition and her accounting degree was more or less a formality “Although I graduated with a second class upper, I knew deep down that I would never practice accountancy. Back then, my decision to pursue a creative career wasn’t going to work based on my family’s views.”

In University, Favour learnt how to make hair to build a client base and make money. And would usually leave her department in the Faculty of Education to find solace and inspiration in the art department “Whenever university troubles arose, you could find me in the fine art department, finding solace in the artistic environment. There I would say I started learning more about visual arts till I began attending exhibitions on my free days.” Favour said. Once she graduated, Favour got employed at a financial institution– it would seem the Accounting Degree came in handy after all. However, due to her creative interest being discovered by her bosses, she was always stationed within the creative departments at work.

Favour’s journey as a visual artist picked up around this time. She produced and wrote short films like Mashed, and ‘In One Accord’ which were relatable snapshots of Nigerians– in living and in psyche. When COVID-19 rolled in and the world went into lockdown, Favour dealt with boredom by creating personal art pieces, Hairart. She embarked on the “Shuku Stories: A Journey of Heritage and Beauty”, this project involved adorning owo eyo (cowries) into her subject’s hair to communicate a variety of emotions— femininity, fertility, spirituality. The Shuku stories found success and acceptance as soon as it was released, being accepted and exhibited in numerous galleries.

Shuku Stories: A Journey of Heritage and Beauty serves as an insightful take on African femininity. Her subjects portray three generations. The mother, Awero– who represents strength, elegance and female entrepreneurship; the young lady, Omidan Ayoka who represents beauty and grace and finally, the little girl Ewatomi who stands for heritage, and a physical embodiment of answered prayers. Favour Ben takes a reflective and spiritual interpretation to her works. Beyond stunning and catchy visuals lies a strong cultural story that ties the art together. 

Her recent project, “The Affairs of Awuru” is centered around the Yoruba ‘Dada’ (natural dreadlocks). This project is a deep dive into the nature of people that carry this kind of hair. Favour Ben found a Dada model and adorned her hair with different kinds of flowers, passing across multiple messages. “The Red rose represents longevity, while the white rose represents spirituality and purity.” Favour shared. “I have always read that there is something very spiritual about Dadas that they represent more than just fashion or hairstyle. To a person who wears a dada, it represents the entire identity of who they are, their origin, their spiritual inclination and also the myth that they are believed to be more knowledgeable than the average person but one has to get close to them to see that part.” She added. 

Talking about her process, it takes Favour a varying amount of time to conceive her ideas, “might be two to six months, even a year” she said. But on the day of execution, it only takes her 2-3 hours to bring her vision to life. This hammers on how important a role preparation plays in her affairs. Favour’s art in the UK is one of her few ways of connecting with her roots back in Nigeria. She is very particular about pushing acceptance within the African community, and there is no better way to do this than with hair and other everyday items people tend to not focus on. When asked about the nature of her photography, where it is only the subject’s back that is seen: Favour shares that her works aim to draw attention away from the face and place them towards other body parts– the hair.

While Favour Ben refuses to be boxed as a hair artist, always leaving possibilities open for other avenues for expression. These few projects that she has embarked upon are evidence of uncommon depth within the artist’s mind, and Yoruba culture at large.

Read more reviews and pieces about culture and art on The Blotted. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @onetinyblot