At the intersection of anthropology, history of ancient and contemporary art, fashion and morals, this exhibition stages exhibits in various ways, all on the universal theme of hair.
Addressing the notion that each person reveals his personality through his hairstyle, the presentation starts off on a frivolous note, then moves on towards the idea of hair as a human material for modelling and shaping, and finally embracing at the same time the inherent skills required, the relativity of beauty, and the notion of loss, with hair as a symbol of passing time and death.
In its nostalgic use, hair is a medium of memory. As a part of human remains and relics, hair conserves a little of the aura and energy of its owner. A large part of the exhibition is devoted to this "mana" that has given birth to multiple "magical" objects, or at least those endowed with powers that people appropriate.
The question of “remains” and “trophies” is therefore posed, and more broadly the status of certain objects found at the boundariesof the horrific and the unbearable, exploring our categories from a universal experience.
- Exhibition curator: Mr. Yves Le Fur, Director of Collections and Heritage at the musée du quai Branly — Jacques Chirac
- Number of works: 80
- Surface area required: 300 m²
- Catalogue of the exhibition available (320 pages, Co-published by musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac - Actes Sud, 2012)
This exhibition has been presented at:
- Abbaye de Daoulas, Chemins du Patrimoine en Finistère, Bretagne, France, from June 15th 2018 to January 6th 2019
- musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, from September 18th 2012 to July 14th 2013
