Lisa Jarrett, “Harriet Tubman”, 2025, LED neon.

In the exhibition:

“Tenderhead”, Lisa Jarrett weaves together her interest in migration and tracing lost familial histories to Beauty Supply stores and salons—critical intersections of Black life.

“Harriet Tubman” hums with the glow of neon pink, forming the word “Tenderhead,” the exhibition’s central concept and title. “Tenderhead” recalls a question many remember from childhood hair care: “Are you tenderheaded?” The work links this sensitivity with Tubman, a widely written-about historical figure whose depth and complexities remain unknowable, inviting reflection on the tender and vulnerable facets of Black women’s labor.

“Tenderhead” appears in PAM’s new Black Art & Experiences galleries, visible to all who walk the community passageway.