Black Barbershops in Focus is a research project by Dr Karis Campion exploring how black-owned barbershops function as community assets in their localities. With a primary focus on Brixton/Herne Hill, the project uses ethnography, art and photography to capture barbershops through different perspectives. The 2023 exhibition was a culmination of the research, writing, artworks, images and artifacts that had emerged from the three strands of work.
The multiple methods used to carry out the research hold a mirror up to the diverse qualities that characterise Black barbershops as sites for debate, counsel, relaxation, creativity and culture, they provide far more than just a haircut.
“I already knew a bit about this project but seeing it in situ was so powerful in terms of understanding the space and the relationship between the research and the space”.
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“The genius of this pop-up exhibition is in its location within a working Black Barber Shop. Customers, Creatives and the plain Curious mingle and converse, connecting our pasts and presents in this mystical exchange of narratives. 👏🏾👏🏾”
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“Excellent session by @KarisCampion on the back barbershop as a community asset. Started by thinking about what we understand as “community assets”, and other examples.”
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“I managed to catch this brilliant pop-up exhibition called “Black Barbershops In Focus” at a gallery in a barbershop in Herne Hill yesterday. Imagine my surprise to find the artist is someone I actually know 🥹 it’s running till June 29th, so try and catch it. More info below 👇🏿”
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Visited this brilliant exhibition with the equally brilliant @KarisCampion today. So good to see research being presented in and by the communities who co-produce it. Inspiring doesn’t do it justice ❤️👌🏾”
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So good meeting you too Karis 😊 what you’ve done is amazing!
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“Met @KarisCampion of @SLRC_DMU with @Miss_Toppin to see their fab pop-up exhibition at Gil's celebrated barber shop.”
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“A brilliant evening at the opening of @KarisCampion & Habiba Nabisubi’s exhibition Black Barbershops in Focus, based on ethnographic research and installed with care in the barbershop that inspired the work. Public, creative sociology at its best. Go and see it if you can.”
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Dream it
“I already knew a bit about this project but seeing it in situ was so powerful in terms of understanding the space and the relationship between the research and the space”. 🟡 “The genius of this pop-up exhibition is in its location within a working Black Barber Shop. Customers, Creatives and the plain Curious mingle and converse, connecting our pasts and presents in this mystical exchange of narratives. 👏🏾👏🏾” 🟡 “Excellent session by @KarisCampion on the back barbershop as a community asset. Started by thinking about what we understand as “community assets”, and other examples.” 🟡 “I managed to catch this brilliant pop-up exhibition called “Black Barbershops In Focus” at a gallery in a barbershop in Herne Hill yesterday. Imagine my surprise to find the artist is someone I actually know 🥹 it’s running till June 29th, so try and catch it. More info below 👇🏿” 🟡 Visited this brilliant exhibition with the equally brilliant @KarisCampion today. So good to see research being presented in and by the communities who co-produce it. Inspiring doesn’t do it justice ❤️👌🏾” 🟡 So good meeting you too Karis 😊 what you’ve done is amazing! 🟡 “Met @KarisCampion of @SLRC_DMU with @Miss_Toppin to see their fab pop-up exhibition at Gil's celebrated barber shop.” 🟡 “A brilliant evening at the opening of @KarisCampion & Habiba Nabisubi’s exhibition Black Barbershops in Focus, based on ethnographic research and installed with care in the barbershop that inspired the work. Public, creative sociology at its best. Go and see it if you can.” 🟡 Dream it
Habiba Nabisubi’s use of traditional (pencil, watercolour, ink pens) and digital mediums to explore hands, hair, clippers, scissors, barber’s chairs, afro combs, and other seemingly mundane objects, captures the atmospheric elements of the barbershop and the skill of barbering itself. Her use of portraiture has a different focus and urges us to take a closer look at the people who frequent the space and consider the role it plays in their lives. Taken as a collection, the artworks showcase the barbershop as a domestic space, a home from home, and a site for mindfulness, relaxation and intimacy.
“I come to black barbershops so it was just beautiful to have some of my experiences & heritage reflected in this exhibition & in Karis's speech. Barbers really are here in such important events in our lives! I hadn't thought about it that way before.” - Visitor Feedback
Whilst the artworks carefully trace the internal features and processes of the shop floor, much of the photography raises urgent questions about where these small black-owned businesses are located, in neighbourhoods that are experiencing rapid urban renewal and racialised gentrification. Despite the challenges that these processes pose for small black businesses, the photographs are intended as a rudimentary heritage trail which points towards the permanency of black-owned barbershops in the local urban landscape.
“I thought this was a brilliant, engaged and engaging piece of public sociology that shows the value of both ethnographic work and also collaborations between sociologists and artists.” - Visitor Feedback
“It was really nice to see my dad’s shop transformed into this. Actually made me appreciate his craft so much more.” - Visitor Feedback