Jessica Soares has always been a storyteller through her artworks. Last year, she featured some of her pieces at the Young Contemporaries exhibition organised by Rele Gallery highlighting her condition with alopecia. This year, her debut solo exhibition at Rele Gallery Ikoyi, Lagos titled ‘Who We Are When The Glory is Gone’ parades a detailed collection of paintings and installation on this condition which she has lived with all her life and inherited from her mother. Alopecia is known as a condition characterised by hair thinning and hair loss. Through her artistic voice, Soares sheds light on the world of identity, perception as well as societal expectations.
At the opening of the much anticipated show, Soares discussed critical issues around the theme for the solo show by documenting episodes of living with alopecia: whether going completely bald or wearing a scarf to cover the hair loss. The artist explained why alopecia is such an issue in our contemporary society.
