Buste de Marie-Joséphine de Savoie (1753-1810) & Chilpéric 1er, Roi des Francs (539-584)
Série African Spirits, Samuel Fosso, 2008
Brigitte Bardot, Alain Delon, 1958
Nu sous les Branches, Albert Auguste Fourié, Vers 1892
J.D. 'Okhai Ojeikere: Ogun Pari, 1970 & Back Parting 1968
Trois Capes, YI, Yunnan, Chine, début du XXe siècle & Tête Réduite, Tsantsa (AKA shrunken skulls)
"The Art of Hair" exhibit posters had been hanging in the Metros for a couple weeks before I finally felt compelled to read one. It looked kind of weird. And by kind of, I mean really. So naturally Alyssa and a couple friends decided to check it out. Turns out the exhibit, located at musée du quai Branly, was actually extremely thought-provoking. And weird. The debut of the exhibit showcased statues, paintings and photographs of hairstyles throughout the centuries. Normal, and super interesting. The exhibit took a turn for the bizarre when hair started being featured in jewelry and clothing. It got disturbing when we encountered a room of shrunken skulls and other artifacts I care not to discuss. Okay they were scalps, I know you were dying to know.
Anyway, back to the thought-provoking portion of my visit. We all are conscious of our hair. In the exhibit my friends and I actually acknowledged how much we care is quite vain, yet I have never really examined how hair is part of our identity. Long or short, straight or curly, braided or loose, blonde or brown, altered or natural, done or undone; it says something about us. Hair is a personal statement. The exhibit pointed out how we use hair to either break or obey social norms, express ourselves, and the social connotations that go along with both. It also brought to light how hair can create gender ambiguousness, seduction, and even violence.
Uncomfortable sentiments aside, I would say the strangeness was balanced out by how surprisingly stimulating the overall exhibit turned out to be. Who knew hair could be so interesting?
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