Lave Tête

Like many of Alison Saar’s works, Lave Tête explores themes of the African cultural diaspora and female roles. Constructed from a wooden armature covered in thin sheets of painted copper, the doubled-over, life-sized female figure supports a stack of twenty-four ceramic and copper-enameled dishes upon her back. This five-foot tall burden alludes to conventional domestic responsibilities ascribed to women. Additionally, the figure’s posture and gesture suggest that she is in the midst of washing her hair, an act which references the lave tèt—a ritual cleansing of the head traditionally performed in Vodou initiation ceremonies.