RUSUNUNGUKO (liberty / independence / freedom)

Designer and visual artist Nontsikelelo Mutiti is the assistant professor and director of graduate studies in graphic design at the Yale School of Art. Mutiti’s printed works, films, and installations engage with the history and aesthetics of hair braiding in black life. “Ruka” (Shona for “to weave, braid, or knit”) brings social binding alongside physical braiding; the arrangements of salons, living rooms, and porches where hair is braided provide social contexts for her projects. 

Witness Mutiti's latest work, RUSUNUNGUKO (liberty / independence / freedom), on view beginning April 11, 2024, in The Dome Gallery at Yale Schwarzman Center during the building's open hours.