Oluseye will create a real-life labyrinth using a young man’s hairstyle as a starting point. Similar to a jigsaw puzzle, an enlarged photograph of the hairstyle will be divided into equal rectangular sections then printed onto concrete pavers. Participants will support the assembly of the labyrinth and be invited to walk its path. At the centre, a single cowrie shell will wait to be discovered.

The artist shares that the braided hair patterns of enslaved people often contained escape maps, understood by the enslaved peoples but not by their captors.

Presented in partnership with the Niagara Pumphouse Arts Centre, this project forms part of the Ontario Culture Days 2025 Creatives in Residence series. The Ontario Culture Days Festival is an annual celebration of arts, culture and heritage taking place each fall across the province of Ontario, Canada.