The Mane Issue Lenayah Rayford

Stormwater Studios is proud to present a solo exhibition by Lenayah Rayford, our 2025–2026 Resident Artist. This exhibition marks the culmination of Rayford’s yearlong residency at Stormwater Studios. The residency provides Lenayah with a dedicated studio space beginning in September 2025 and concludes with this solo exhibition at Stormwater Gallery in summer 2026. “The Mane Issue” Hair has never been just hair. For many, hair holds stories and memories. While it has been a source of pride and creativity, for black Americans it also faces scrutiny, pressure, and judgment. Growing up in a society that often positioned natural black hair as something to be controlled, corrected, or hidden, many learned to see their own features through outside standards. The Mane Issue explores the lasting impact of those messages within African American culture and the ongoing journey toward self-acceptance. Referencing both hair itself and the broader issue surrounding it. By incorporating forms that suggest growth, tension, entanglement, and transformation I invite viewers to consider how Eurocentric beauty standards shape the understanding of oneself and others. What is lost when features are treated as problems to be solved, and what becomes possible when those same features are embraced as sources of power and identity? Alongside these representational works, abstract paintings have been incorporated that are inspired by the history of black American abstraction. While the sculptural works confront the social and cultural narratives surrounding Black hair, the abstract works offer a different response. Historically, black artists turned to abstraction as a form of creative freedom. Moving beyond a space where their works were representative of racial struggles. While these two bodies of work seem visually opposed, they exist in conversation with one another. One engages in conversation about a specific social issue while the other explores the possibility of release, reflection, and self-definition beyond those social issues. Together, reflecting on the complexities of the black experience. The Mane Issue is about addressing the issue at hand, reclaiming narratives that have long defined the black community, and reflecting on the ongoing movement toward diverse self-acceptance. Exhibition Dates: Wednesday, July 22, 2026, to Sunday, August 23, 2026 Opening Reception: Saturday, July 25 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 29, 2026, to Sunday, August 2, 2026 Gallery Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Wednesday to Sunday