Unfettered Promise - by Sham Tamene, 2011

Unfettered Promise: A photo essay on The Commodification of Women's Bodies by Sham Tamene, 2011.

The photo captures a Black woman's Afro. The Afro is a hairstyle that has been depicted as unconventional and unruly. Women of colour especially Black women often chemically treat their hair so that it appears 'straight' or
purchase wigs with straight hair. Society and the media construct beauty norms as natural and women are expected to maintain them. We often see tall, thin, young, White women in North American television commercials, magazines and
billboards. These ways of knowing are unfounded yet internalized by many women and puts unnecessary pressure on them to force an outer appearance that does not necessary belong to them.

The coils of hair that belong to the woman in the photo represents her ability to 'uncoil' or unlock her unearthed potential. This extends to other women and their opportunities to demystify their inner truths and share their gifts with the world. This message encourages women to reject self-limiting, socially constructed ways of knowing and to embrace having a voice, taking up space
similarly to the Afro and not to be sorry for doing so.