Originally published on: December 20, 2008

Loren Schwerd’s Mourning Portraits provide humanized descriptions of the blight that persists in the years after Hurricane Katrina. Working from her photographs taken in efforts to digest these remnants of life, she rebuilds crumbling artifacts as scrupulous and loving memorials to her community. Out of human hair extensions, discarded near St. Claude Beauty Supply in New Orleans, she depicts her encounter with absent victims. Inspired by the tradition of 18th and 19th century memento mori hair jewelry, she participates in a sentimental activity to honor the deceased. These expressive and elegant constructions allow the viewer an extended gaze into this dark topic, beyond its sheer mass that obscures individual identities.

With found hair extensions, she addresses modern hair braiding in the African-American community, which has important functions beyond beauty and social status. It is a common activity, but requires skilled and quick handiwork learned through tradition. Often taking place within the family or between members of the same sex, it provides an opportunity for strengthening social ties and instilling values. By using hair of many colors, including deep reds, blacks, grays, and bleached-browns, she brings an array of persons into dialogue.

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