Women in the Heights: Hair

In celebration of Women’s History Month, NoMAA presents the 16th annual Women in the Heights exhibition.

Curated by Andrea Arroyo

NoMAA GALLERY: 4140 Broadway (176 ST) NY, NY 10033

EXHIBITION DATES: March 13 – June 30, 2025

GALLERY HOURS: Thursdays 4-7pm and Saturdays 1-5pm (excluding holidays) or by appointment

“Hair is an extension of our bodies, often associated with strength, beauty, sensuality, and personal identity. It has been admired, detested, desired, rejected, used, and abused throughout history.
Literal and symbolic layers and extensions reveal tensions and intentions within culture and society.
Hair—whether short, long, shaved, straight, curly, or anything in between—embodies identity in Frida Kahlo’s brows, military crops, spikes, braids, dreadlocks, and fros.
Artists in the show examine societal and personal factors through various literal, metaphorical, and poetic expressions that explore the hairy, the scary, and the extraordinary in HAIR.” – Andrea Arroyo

Women in the Heights: Hair – Untangling Identity
participating artists:

Tiffany Alfonseca, Massiel Alfonso, Vicky Azcoitia, Yael Ben-Zion, Julie Berman, Rue Boyd-Driver, Melanie Brewster, Miggy Buck, Eileen Burgess, Lisbeth Checo, Destiny Corporan, Karin Dando-Haenisch, Valerie de Leon, Rose Deler, Kat Gooch-Breault, Wilhelmina Grant, Josefina Hernandez, Chae Kihn, Jules Kulaya, Tafy LaPlanche, Rafaela Luna, Patricia Miranda, Adaley Muñoz, Mesoma Onyeagba, Mari Padilla, Paula Maria Persiani, Yaritza Piñeiro, Leah Poller, Sam Popp, Adria Quinones, Darcy Rogers, Kaé Sato, Diana Schmertz, Arlene Schulman, Alannah Sears, Uniqua Simmons, Debbie Taylor-Kerman, Rafaelina Tineo, Shu Tu, Paola Velarde, Lauren von Eckartsberg, Tamara Wasserman, Tasha Woodson

Tiffany Alfonseca, Daydreamin’, 2023, Acrylic paint, colored pencils and hair accessories, 30" x 40"

Vicky Azcoitia, Motherhood Identity, Inkjet pigment print, 13" x 19"

Yael Ben-Zion, Wigs, 2007, C-print  (edition of 5), 20" x 24"

Julie Berman, Beauty Call (photo by Martin Berman), 1974 (printed 2018), Silver gelatin print, 10" x 8"

Julie Berman, The Final Time I Allowed My Mother to Cut My Hair (photo by Martin Berman), 1975 (printed 2016), Silver gelatin print, 8" x 10"

Melanie Brewster,Mourning 3, 2025, Mixed media sculpture, 30" x 11" x 1"

Melanie Brewster, Mourning 1, 2025, Mixed media sculpture, 32" x 12" x 2"

Eileen Burgess, Stephanie, 2023, Oil on canvas, 29" x 30"

Eileen Burgess, Trevor, 2025, Oil on canvas, 26" x 24"

Lisbeth Checo, Dear Little Me, 2025, Mixed media, 11" x 14"

Karin Dando-Haenisch, Bristle Chaos (L), 2025, Digital photographic print on hot press bright fine art paper, 16" x 16"

Valerie de Leon, The Way She Carries, 2019, Acrylic paint and pigment on paper, 37" x 36"

Rose Deler, El Que Quiere Pelo Bonito Tiene Que Aguantar Jalones, 2019, White clay slip oxidation fire to cone 06, glass beads, metal chain, dimensions variable

Diana Schmertz,Out of Darkness - American Library Association Bill of Rights, 2023, Laser cut watercolor painting, 9" x 6"

Diana Schmertz, The Stop W.O.K.E. Act - The Bluest Eye, 2022, Laser cut watercolor and ink painting, 9" x 6"

Kat Gooch-Breault, We Are All Woven, 2025, Acrylic on cradled panel, 18" x 12" x 1.5"

Wilhelmina Grant-Cooper, Twist and Shout, 2022, Found object assemblage, 14" x 14"

Josefina Hernandez, El Tiempo Pasa, 2015-2018, Hair, tape and ink on paper, 12" x 16"

Chae Kihn, China Black, 2023, Photograph, 30" x 20"

Chae Kihn, Freedom, 2023, Photograph, 30" x 20"

Tafy LaPlanche,A Heart In Love With Beauty Never Grows Old, 2024, Oil on canvas, 30" x 40"

Tafy LaPlanche, ¡Ay Bendito!, 2024, Oil on canvas, 20" x 20"

Rafaela Gomez Luna,Re-Thinking The Way I Feel About Myself III, 2020, Mixed media , 24" x 24"

Miggy Buck, Let Your Hair Down, 2021, Velvet, satin and polyfil, 50" x 30" x 14"

Patricia Miranda, Sheared and Bound, 2023, Vintage lace, silk roving, thread, pins, 31" x  9.75"

Adaley Muñoz, Pink at the Laundromat, 2025, Gouache and pencil on wood, 16" x 12"

Mesoma Hammida Onyeagba, Owning My Essence, 2022, Oil on canvas, 60" x 80"

Paula Maria Persiani, Exhale, Nsu Bra, African cotton, and satin
fabrics on ceramic, 20" L x 20" D x 22" W

Paula Maria Persiani, Bomba, 2018, Oil on wood, 24" x 48"

Yaritza Piñeiro, Hispaniola/Paris y Yari, 2021, Wood frame, Kanekalon hair, oil paint, watercolor, Bristol paper, acetate, thread, 20" x 24"

Yaritza Piñeiro, La Barbie y Yo, 2021, Watercolor, acrylic paint, oil paint, sand, 48"  x 36"

Leah Poller, Bed Head, 2018, Bronze, 9" x 6" x 12"

Sam Popp, Self-Portrait with Alopecia Areata, 2025, Photograph, 12" x 16"

Darcy Rogers, Ocean Beach Wind, 2012, Photograph, 8" x 12

Kaé Sato, The One Who Weaves a Time. (Nephila), 2025, Sumi ink, gold, silver, mica, Nikawa glue, on Japanese paper, 90" x 24"

Arlene Schulman, I am Ivan (most of the time), 2013, Photograph, 11 x 14

Alannah Sears, A Somber Cut, 2024, Graphite on paper, 24" x 15"

Alannah Sears, The Deity of My Womanhood, 2024, Graphite on paper, 29" x 24"

Uniqua Simmons, My Hair is My Crown, 2025, Fiber, brown cowrie shell, crystals, acrylic paint, 42" x 18"

Debbie Taylor-Kerman, I Can't Thank You Enough, 2020, Acrylic, collage and charcoal on wood, 24" x 48" x 0.5"

Debbie Taylor-Kerman, Life and Soul, 2020, Acrylic, collage and Stabilo pencil on wood, 12" x 12"x 0.25"

Rafaelina Tineo, El Moño, 2025, Mix media assemblage sculpture, 27"x10 x10" sculpture and 32" x 24" print

Shu Tu, Generation of Faces, 2022, Ceramic, 9" x 5" x 8.5"

Paola Velarde, Dominicanismo, 2025, Digital print, 18" x 16"

Lauren von Eckartsberg, Paris in Harlem, 2018, Photograph, 16" x 22"

Tamara Wasserman, Punks at the Easter Parade, 2024, Black & white Silver Gelatin print, 16" x 20"

Tasha Woodson, Unboxing the Grays, 2025, Cardstock, 9" x 9" x 3"