What’s in a hairstyle? This is the question at the heart of Museum Folkwang’s Grow it, Show it!, a new multidisciplinary show subtitled “a look at hair from Diane Arbus to TikTok.” It surveys a wide selection of historical and contemporary photographs, videos and film clips across art, fashion and social media. The message: hair is far more than just a fashion accessory. It is an expression of our identity – both individual, and as part of a collective. It can be a powerful means of communication, and a way to resist. Moreover, it is a lens through which to examine society, politics and everyday life; it can teach us something new.
Any exhibition on this subject matter would not be complete without contributions from J.D. ‘Okhai Ojeikere (1930-2014), who is lauded for his systematic documentation of Nigerian women’s hairstyles. His compositions are sculptural and abstract, often taken from behind, foregrounding the intricacies and beauty of the designs. He produced over two thousand negatives from the 1950s onwards, and his work continues to influence a young generation of artists. STRONG HAIR, for example, a collection of NFTs by Yatreda Art Collective, pays homage to the richness of Ethiopian culture in 100 looping 360-degree portraits. “In Ethiopia, hairstyles are sculptures full of meaning,” Yatreda explains. “Sometimes just by looking at someone, you can identify their nation or tribe. Hair can be a social signal and a status symbol. Many of our local hairstyles are disappearing. When we lose a hairstyle, we lose a visual language that may never be repeated again. Thousands of years of culture has created these looks.”
Equally powerful is the work of Hoda Afshar (b. 1983), who was born in Iran and has lived in Australia since 2007. Her series, In Turn, was made following the 2022 death of Mahsa Jina Amini, whose arrest in Tehran sparked a wave of protests throughout the country. Here, Afshar positions hair plaiting as an act of “sisterhood, bonding and resistance.” Three women, dressed in black, lean on one another whilst styling each other’s braids. Afshar told The Guardian: “This tradition extends to the Kurdish women’s liberation movement, where as a daily ritual in the mountains, female fighters plait each other’s hair while chanting the slogan “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî” – “Woman, Life, Freedom”. Amini’s Kurdish heritage sparked the Woman, Life, Freedom movement that followed her death, turning hair-plaiting into a symbol across Iran.”
The list of artists included in Grow it, Show it! is vast. Audiences will encounter an array of recognisable names, from Helmut Newton – synonymous with 20th century fashion-forward shots – to Nan Goldin (b. 1953) and her gritty documentary style. The exhibition spans the globe, with Graciela Iturbide (b. 1942) shining a light on Mexican culture and August Sander (1876-1964) presenting a sweeping look at German society. It’s fascinating to see how far back our relationship with hair really goes; the line-up travels all the way to the advent of photographic image-making, with early works by Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879) on the roster. But we’re reminded that the story spans much further and wider than the invention of the camera. Put simply: the sheer volume of artworks means you’ll never look at hair in the same way again.
Grow it, show it! Museum Folkwang | Until 12 January
Image Credits:
1. Viviane Sassen, Kine, 2011, from the series Parasomnia © Viviane Sassen/Courtesey Stevenson Gallery
2. Hoda Afshar, Untitled #4, from the series In Turn, 2022 Archival Pigment Print, 112 x 90 cm © Hoda Afshar/Milani Gallery, Meeanjin/Brisbane.
