In this iteration of The Art in Life, we’re exploring the glorious art of hair. Hairstyles help to define our identity in the world, a bad hair day can ruin our week, hair is a $20 billion industry, and hairstyles are saturated with unique aesthetic decisions and cultural associations. We’re bringing you four perspectives:
Adrianne Clayton, an artist and teacher in Kansas City whose work explores the art of black hair
Amy Farid (Osage), a high-end fashion hair designer based in Brooklyn
Mykey O’Halloran, a wig maker, hair colorist, hair stylist, and founder of Unicorn Manes in Melbourne
Emma Tarlo, a London-based anthropologist of hair based at Goldsmiths and recent author of “Entanglement: The Secret Lives of Hair”
“There is no distinction for us between art and life,” said Yolngu Aboriginal Australian artist Wandjuk Marika. This proclamation draws attention to the arbitrary distinctions we often make in western cultures between “fine art” and “craft,” “design” and other often-unhelpful labels. As museums, we actively work to break down such distinctions. As museum professionals, we are aesthetically minded people who see art all around us. And, as a global community, many of us are still finding ourselves unable to visit the “fine art” institutions we love most. Because of all of these factors and more, the Fralin Museum of Art at UVA and the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA have partnered to present THE ART IN LIFE, a series of programs that explore the artistic creativity, innovation, challenges and aesthetic decisions of practices that usually aren’t considered fine art.
The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia is the only museum outside of Australia dedicated to the exhibition and study of Indigenous Australian art. Whether onsite or online, we aim to amplify Indigenous perspectives and foster inspirational cross-cultural experiences to deepen appreciation and understanding of our shared humanity. We believe the most inspiring journeys are personal, immersive, uplifting and enlightening, with twists and turns we can’t predict. We provide platforms for you to chart your own path as you explore our unique collection of art and stories that are embedded with deep historical and cultural significance.
We are located in Charlottesville, Virginia and came to exist through the generosity of two prominent American collectors, Edward L. Ruhe and John W. Kluge. To learn more, visit us at kluge-ruhe.org.