Havana (Cuba), 2020

For Alejandra, hair, knots, and roots hold deep symbolic meaning. Hair represents identity, thoughts, and her personal history. She views it as roots, tangled and interwoven, growing with strength from the deepest part of herself, anchoring her with purity and rigor in life.

The knots symbolize negative thoughts, fears, worries, and doubts that become entangled within the roots of her hair, creating obstacles that hinder her ability to move forward with peace.

For Alejandra, the ritual of washing her hair becomes a sacred moment. In solitude, she faces these knots, engaging in the meticulous act of untangling them one by one with persistence, eliminating destructive thoughts that burden her mind and soul, and liberating herself from these weights. This ritual concludes with firm roots, an ordered growth, allowing her to progress on the path of life with confidence and determination.

Charleen Capote