"It's All in my Hair" is an exploration of how negative core beliefs about hair, passed down through family and culture, influence our self image and perception. Through dialogue, the artist created a space in which the audience could recognise and meditate on how their hair influences their own appearance, identity and self worth. This was accomplished through the artist's own vulnerability. Participants would spend some one-on-one time with the artist and would start by chosing a question from a cards that were stuck on a mirror and ask her the question. As she would retell stories from her childhood, the participant was free to style and play with her hair as a tactile method to furhter connect with the artist. As a parting gift, Mandalena would cut a piece of her hair to give it to the participant along with the question card they chose.

 

Negative core beliefs are engraved deep into our subconscious and resurface like clockwork, just like hair will always grow back slowly but surely. The aritst takes an active roll of expelling those core beliefs by snipping them off like she does with her hair.