Mark Bradford

Thelxiepeia

Mark Bradford’s monumental collage Thelxiepeia, named for a mythological Greek siren, is constructed from the tissue-like end papers used by hairdressers when giving permanents. The papers, used frequently by Bradford in his work, demonstrate his interest in combining manufactured products with the hand-made. They also introduce an autobiographical element.

After high school, Bradford worked at his mother’s hair salon, a space which he celebrates as a source of economic livelihood, joyous self-expression, and social connection for Black women and queer men. Thelxiepeia also has a somber undercurrent, acknowledging that feelings surrounding Black hair can be charged with external racism and internal anxiety. By referring to deceptive Greek sirens, the artist asserts the toxicity of these negative associations. Importantly, the end papers also declare Bradford’s discovery of a distinctive artistic voice.

"I learned my own way of constructing paintings through the End Papers,” the artist says, “how to create space, how to use color. And how to provide a new kind of content. They were the beginning for me."