Last Saturday’s The Art of Hair event turned out to be a great success. Hundreds of people walked through the decorated bodega over the course of the night. It was an ever-changing group of consistently interesting people who all seemed to be engrossed in the spirit of the event.
Barbers. led by the Nomad Barber were lined up throughout the night at the eloquent barber station giving a variety of different skillfully executed cuts to a variety of people. Without fail their were another dozen people behind them watching these artisans perform throughout the night and possibly hoping for a chance to get a trim themselves.
Beside the barber station stood the original counter from the bodega. Instead of being stocked with snacks and gum it held soaps and cosmetic products from LUSH along with original art by the students of Project Art. On the opposite wall were found-object sculptures from Lucien Shapiro. The more you looked at one of these master-crafts the more appreciation you had for the artist behind them. Made of bottle caps, dime bags and anything else you might imagine seeing discarded on the sidewalk. Everything he used had a place within the piece that featured it, a beautiful irony since all of these things had previously lost their place in the world.
The back room featured Erica Vega’s catalog of donated hair. All artfully displayed and all with a story, these locks were much more intriguing than one could imagine hair to be. There was the braid from a young woman who had passed away as a teenager in the early 1900’s complete with death certificate and homemade frame. The new beginnings lock with a note attached detailing the end of a relationship and consequently, a new hairstyle. Not even all the hair was human. There was a braid from, after hearing Erica’s story, what was obviously a cherished horse who suffered from a debilitating muscle disease causing its early demise. Aside from what she had brought to the show, there was a collection of at least 15 samples from attendees. If you hung back there long enough you were bound to see Erica pull a few strands from the back of a willing participant’s head and snip it off with her scissors that doubled as a necklace.
There was no shortage of beer or liquor either, thanks in part to Traveler’s Beer who co-sponsored the event. As is so often the case, alcohol turned a good time into a party with a bit of help from Harvey the RV. If one was feeling a bit cramped in the bodega they could walk across the sidewalk to hang in the RV. Supplied by another volunteer, Harvey, the place was so relaxing and cool, from the decor to the music, that it was hard to leave.
Keep Pop-Up Art Events, the group responsible for this show, on your radar. If all their events are as good as The Art of Hair was, you’ll want to be at the next one.
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This event was made possible by the impassioned efforts of a litany of volunteers. The job they did was so fantastic it seems only right to publish their names. Below you will find a list of everyone who donated their time to make The Art of Hair happen.
Artists:
Angela Cappetta
Angelina Avallone
Biddy
Carla Silva
Daniel Johnson
Danielle Zuckerman
Erica Vega
Gudrun Georges
Janette Beckman
Jessica Pettway
Lazaro Alenciba
Lucien Shapiro
Mensen
Michelle Johnson
Peter Yip
Sam Ali
Adarsh Alphons
Andre Dumani
Ariana Alioto
Arielle Silva
Beth Schoolfield
Carissa Leitner
Charlotte Howe
Chris Hennelly
Chris Hennnelly
Christabelle Celis
Daniele Martinez
Deb Gross
Denise Galvao
Harry Hancock
Harvey the RV
Holly Gowers
Ivona Nyzio
Janice Chow Byron
Jessica Eis
Jim Chu
Joyce Elizabeth
Juliet Silva-Yee
Kelli Muse
Kerry Campbell
Lang Yee
Mark Vitulano
Matias Quarleri
Matiki
Miguel Gutierrez
Mugdha
Natalia Quintana
Paul Rivera
Pam Yip
Peter Knocke
Sergey Negorny
Steve robins
Suzy McCormick
Todd Burton
Veronica Ibarra
Wendy Waxman
