Nick Moncy (Philadelphia, USA): Angel Hair (2019)

‘Angel Hair’ is a questioning of coded language. The performant holds a rudimentary comb constructed of angel hair pasta, an exaltation of a beauty ideal into a physical commodity. The comb straightens, corrects the tangles of black hair through repetitive vertical strokes. The performance would humorously entertain the possibility of angels being black (or darker than white) while criticizing outdated language that has persisted through time, perpetuated through mass production under capitalism. Dedicated to Nia Hammond , @marshandmane , and black womxn who labor to preserve their roots. Video, color 9:16 aspect ratio 6:38 min

BIO: I am a transdisciplinary artist in West Philly who explores the ​fragmentation​ of human presence (self) as a process of survival. Through video, performance and animation, I investigate issues surrounding bodies departed from their origins. My practice seeks to retrieve small gestures, offhand vernacular, and involuntary cues – all deviations from larger consciousnesses – to redeem ‘othered’ narratives. – Nick Moncy is from North Miami Beach, FL. He received a B.A. in Fine Arts from the University of Pennsylvania in 2019. His work has been shown at the Postscript Gallery at Crane Arts LLC (Philadelphia, PA) and featured in group show ‘Cha Chain Teng’ at Bedroom in Hong Kong. Nick currently resides in West Philadelphia. ARTIST’S WEBSITE