Craft, Love, and Loathing: Anthropology of Hair Art in the Twenty-First Century

When hair is cut off and used in art, many people find it disgusting, but when attached, hair is seen as beautiful. Over time, these ideas have changed; in the Victorian Era, people had more tolerance and appreciation for different types of hair art, such as sculptures and accessories. In order to analyze these changes and why hair is seen as repulsive, we must look at theories of disgust and abjection. In addition, we must look at the history of bodily art and the connections it had to death and mourning. The understanding and recognition of abject mediums such as hair art leads to an increased understanding of different art forms and their historical context. Alongside this essay, I simultaneously constructed a hair wreath of my own, as a way to learn and interpret hair art through practice and embodiment.