Barbershops and hair salons are cultural safe havens for the Black community. It is where people can converge, converse and connect with each other, while being beautified by their favourite barber or hairstylist. There is a level of vulnerability that occurs when a client decides to take a seat in the chair and let the expert’s artistry take full control. Consistently replicating this simple and significant experience, is the foundation on which deeper connections are formed, not only between hair artists and their clients, but evolves into something far greater – community.

It is from here that The Blak Brush emerged: Blak is the culture, Brush is the tool.

The paintbrush and the hairbrush represent the intersection of art and hair. Irrespective of which brush is used, both instruments boost creative self-expression which in turn – tell stories that captivate their audiences. Using the brush as our tool for creative expression, we redefine Black narratives and spaces. In doing so, much like in the barbershop or hair salon, we aspire to create the kind of environment that fosters safety and vulnerability as each client takes a seat in our chair and shares their stories with us.

We are the authors of our stories, and we have the privilege of telling them – one brushstroke at a time.