Charlotte Mensah: Community Matters

Opening Hours
Tuesday: Private View
Wednesday: 10:00am to 5pm
Thursday: 10.00am to 5pm
Friday: 10.00am to 8pm
Saturday: 10:00am to 5pm
Sunday: 10:00am to 5pm

Charlotte Mensah: Community Matters is a major mixed-media exhibition celebrating the life, work and legacy of award-winning hairstylist, entrepreneur and cultural pioneer Charlotte Mensah, marking 40 years since she entered the field of hairdressing. The exhibition traces Charlotte’s journey from her childhood in Ghana and formative years in North West London to her position as one of Britain’s most influential figures in hair and beauty. 

Both a celebration and an inquiry, it considers what it means to dedicate four decades to a vocation, and the craft, culture, commerce and community required to build something that lasts. 

Curated by Madeleine Haddon, Senior Curator at V&A East, with creative direction by Jacqueline Douglas and production by Bashiru Lawal-Shardow, the exhibition brings together photography, film, archival materials, personal artefacts, soundscapes and installation.

Alongside the exhibition, a programme of talks, conversations and live cultural programming will bring together voices from beauty, business, music, performance and the arts. Exploring entrepreneurship, identity, creativity and the salon as a cultural space, the programme will expand on the exhibition’s central themes and celebrate the communities that have shaped Charlotte’s journey.

Event Programme 

Wednesday 9th September 6:30pm
Beauty, Business & Belonging

Thursday 10th September 6:30pm 
The Modern-Day Salon: A Cultural Institution

Saturday 12th September 11am
Curl Power Workshop: Back to School Edition