Anya Paintsil

b. 1991, United Kingdom, Wales


Thirty six inch six thirteen, 2019
Punch needled acrylic, wool, cotton and kanekalon hair on hessian
68.6x88.9cm

Image courtesy Ed Cross Gallery, United Kingdom, & the artist
Paintsil is a Welsh and Ghanaian artist working primarily with textiles. From rug hooking to embroidery, her assemblages evoke tactile tapestry on the one hand, and constitute semi-sculptural interventions on the other. She frequently uses weaves, braids and other hair pieces (as well as her own hair). 

‘I make a lot of work about race and racialised experiences outside of major cities. In my case, that's being a Welsh person who is mixed race, or is often racialised as black. I go through a lot of human hair, a lot of braiding hair, a lot of extension hair, and create a lot of waste […] All of the synthetic hair in my work has, at one time been on my head, in a hair style,” says Paintsil (Plinth, 10 August, 2020).