So Yoon Lym’s topographical drawings of braided hair recall a “menu” of styles at a hair salon, but also urban streets, winding rivers, and farming plots. Focusing on hair as a key method to self-define, Lym’s intricate drawings reveal suggestions of place and history. Femininity, hair culture, and personal narratives are all entwined in these portraits that depict dense cartographies of Black experience.

Jhonathan, 2010
Acrylic on paper
30 x 20 inches
Courtesy of the artist

www.soyoonlym.com