Today is the final opportunity to enjoy the popular exhibition, 'Hair in African Art', at the Bermuda National Gallery (BNG), which has been fascinating visitors and locals alike for the past few months.

Combining existing pieces from the BNG's African Collection with works loaned from private collections, the exhibition portrays attitudes toward hair, its symbolism, and how hair is represented in African art.

In his excellent foreword to the exhibition catalogue, Mr. Dusty Hind of the Crisson-Hind Gallery, which specialises in the work of the Shona Fine Arts Masters from Zimbabwe, explains that "the exhibition flows from tradition-based African objects, where the hairstyle is a significant feature of the work, to headrests that protect the coiffeur, to contemporary commercial signage for hairdressers, and recent Shona stone sculptures that are crowned by hairstyles from an earlier time".

Whereas Westerners style and embellish their hair as a fashion statement, traditional African hair styles, which also play a major fashion and aesthetic role, have a far greater significance — often indicating power, authority, social standing or religious affiliation. In certain regions of Africa, hairstyles denote ethnic groups; transition and initiation; and are linked to religion, spirituality, and personal belief systems.

"The exhibition communicates a broader message about the styling of hair to express creativity or identification with certain peoples, attributes or ideals, drawing upon the multiple cultural sources available in the world where fashion and traditions cross borders and contexts in varied and sometimes unexpected ways," Mr. Hind says.

Africans use a variety of items, such as pins, picks and combs to create and maintain their hair styles, some of which are regarded like good jewellery and passed down through generations. Fine examples of these are included in the exhibition, as are carved headrests used to preserve the wearer's elaborate coiffure while resting or sleeping.

Viewers will also find many examples of different hair styles in the interesting collection of carved figures, masks and headpieces which make this exhibition. In addition, there are examples of two different, contemporary African art forms: urban hairdressers' and barbershop signs from Ghana. Bright, bold and often colourful, such signs reflect both the ancient African tradition of hair braiding and hair-cutting, as well as more modern styles imported from other cultures (usually American).

The exhibition, celebrating not only hair in African art but also the diversity of the African people, is both educational and enlightening, and therefore a "must-see". The BNG is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and admission is free.

In connection with this exhibition, the Crisson-Hind Gallery has donated an impressive sculpture by Shona Creations sculptor Jonathan Mhondurahuma of Zimbabwe, which is now permanently located in Par-la-Ville Park.

• Coming next: 'Living with Art' — Modern and contemporary African American art from the collection of Alitash Kebede (October 8, 2007-January 4, 2008).