conceptual art

Lady Gaga sang that she was as free as her hair, and she has been spotted in a dress that appears to have been made from her leftover wigs. It’s certainly a talking point, especially in light of her song lyrics which associate freedom with the choice of how you wear your locks. She’s not the first person to use hair as a form of artistic self-expression, as I’ve found four women who beat her to it. Let's take a look at our hairstory...

 I first learned about the French conceptual artist Sophie Calle from a friend who was dealing with a break-up.  My friend and I both have obsessive personalities, and she was finding it impossible to wrap her mind around the end of her relationship.  She was talking about trying to channel her experience into art when she brought up Sophie's work.   I was fascinated by Sophie's ability to turn her personal obsessive tendencies into powerful art exhibits that are soul baring without being exploitative.