Juno's Les Noirs

Juno's Photography Les Noirs Campaign

Juno's Photography Les Noirs Campaign

Juno, the name given to the wife of Zeus, was what a close friend affectionately called Jalan Harris for many years before she choose to relay the title as Juno's Photography, capturing the essence of the empowered Roman goddess and Queen of the gods.  The title gives way to the vision of Jalan that she should always find a means to express her true identity fearlessly, and to promote her own image as an inspiration for other black girls to realize that they too can be empowered to embrace their inner goddess.

Juno's Photography Les Noirs Campaign

The Artist makes a political statement through her Les Noirs Campaign, as a celebration of black beauty.  The campaign is an ongoing revelation of portraiture featuring the naturally beautiful black women of the world.  "The black race is complex, exotic and beautiful.  Les Noirs is about the emancipation from the relaxed opression of society."  Juno quotes Markus Garvey saying, "Don't remove the kinks from your hair, remove them from your brain."

In Les Noirs, Juno portrays an emphasis of black women with brown skin and natural hair.  The collection of works makes a statement, taking a stand that the black woman is beautiful and is good enough to be put on a pedastal, without having to compromise the integrity of her valued truth.  "In our society, no one seems to be comfortable with themselves, always hiding who they are."  In resistance to this, Juno praises women who "aren't chemically distorting themselves".    

Juno's Photography Les Noirs Campaign

She strongly feels that her series of works are in response to her concern that black people have lost themselves and sense of identity through the course of slavery; she remarks that most black people are out of touched with their African heritage and see themselves as unrelated to Africa.  In Leiu of Les Noirs political statement, Juno points out that the media dictates how we ought to perceive ourselves in general, and, especially with living in the Bahamas, our culture is so strongly influenced by American media.  "People are lost and dont know the truth anymore".  

Her vision for the future of the Les Noirs Campaign, is that it would become an empowered movement which inspires black women in particular to embrace their own natural beauty, and, in turn, a movement away from hiding and trying to cover up and dilute who we are and where we come from as a people.  "I think that it is sad the way perming hair has become like an initiation ceremony, or right of passage, where we wait until a certain age before having our hair permed.  Are we telling ourselves that we are prettier when our hair is permed, and that straight hair is better?"  

Juno's Photography Les Noirs Campaign

From a deeper perspective, Juno speaks out about the connection that our hair has to our inner being.  She describes hair as being deeply rooted into the core of our being; helping us to branch out and connect with the outter world in true relationship with our inner self.  "Perm weakens the hair, and then it weakens the soul.  Our hair is naturally strong, and so are we."

The dread lock wearing spiritualist tells me that she is now on a journey that is very natural and in touched with the nature of her true self.  She feels connected with mother Earth, and is inspired to live freely.  She claims that since having dreadlocks, she is more aware of other peoples souls. "My locks are the antennas of my soul."