Participating Artists

Oreet Ashery, Regina José Galindo, Carole Kim, Herlinde Koelbl, Soyoon Lym, Ruth Marten, Adrian Piper, Chrystle Rijkeboer, Mika Rottenberg, Imhathai Suwatthanasilp, Anne Wilson, SeKyung Lee, SoonJong Lee, JaYoung Yoon, YeonJoo Ham

Hair has born abundant cultural connotations throughout human history. Hair containing genetic information is the totality of history and memory, a means underlining identity, and an indicator of gender and race, nation and class, status and power. As a social, cultural archive, it has been used as an artistic medium by contemporary artists since the 20^th century. Hair was also an element frequently adopted by the performance artists of the late 20^th century who tried to visualize multilayered, disquieting human subjects, attempting resistance, deviation, and self-transformation, and breaking away from social norms. Since the 1990s it has been the subject of key discussions in post-modernism including post-colonialism, feminism, and multi-culturalism in association with racism and nationalism, globalism and localism.

Show Me Your Hair, which is based on the aesthetic and art-historical discourses on human hair, focuses the transformative attributes of hair that has enabled us to transcend language and borders, as well as deviate from our centralized self. The exhibition casts light on the semantic system of life through the socio-cultural connotations of hair, and touches upon on three sub-themes: Transformed Images – The Aesthetics of the Uncanny, Transformations of the Self – Outer Appearance and Identity, and Metaphor for Life and Death.

Hosted by          Coreana Museum of Art

Supported by    Coreana Cosmetics, Co., Ltd., Seoul metropolitan Government

Ruth Marten, Hirsute, digital print after an altered 18c copper engraving, 104x68cm, 2009. Courtesy of the artist.

Herlinde Koelbl, Hair, digital presentation from photographs, 2011. Courtesy of the artist.

Chrystl Rijkeboer, Kiss of the Wolf, cape knitted with human hair, lined with wings, 150cm, 2010. Courtesy of the artist.

Sekyung Lee, Fliesentableau, dyed human hair glued on shite tiles, 31x31cm, 2007. / 이세경, Hair on carpets, dyed human hair glued on carpets, original pattern: bidjar, west Persia 19 century, 216x135cm, 2007. Installation view: "Show Me Your Hair " at Coreana Museum of Art.

Soyoon Lym, Dreamtime_Taneisha, Antonio, James, Mario [clockwise], acrylic on paper, each 76.5x56cm, 2009. Installation view: "Show Me Your Hair " at Coreana Museum of Art.

Younjoo Ham, All, artist's hair, epoxy resin, 800x150cm, 2010. Installation view: "Show Me Your Hair " at Coreana Museum of Art.

Adrian Piper, The Mythic Being Dancing[1975; Vintage black and white photo series from private loft performance, #4 of 12, 10" x 8"]. photo: James Gutmann. Courtesy of the artist.

Carole Kim, Plush: a hair invitational, single channel video installation, 15min, 10 digital prints, each 52x70cm, 2000. Installation view: "Show Me Your Hair " at Coreana Museum of Art.

Oreet Ashery, Hairoism, 2009-2011. Installation view: "Show Me Your Hair " at Coreana Museum of Art.

Regina José galindo, Piel, performance video, 14min 45sec, 2001. Courtesy of the artist. 

Mika Rottenberg, Cheese, single channel video installation, 16min 5sec, 2008. Installation view: "Show Me Your Hair " at Coreana Museum of Art.

Anne Wilson, Hair Inquiry, audience participation images & texts, interactive video installation, 2011. Installation view: "Show Me Your Hair " at Coreana Museum of Art.

Imhathai Suwatthanasilp, 2010-2011. Installation view: "Show Me Your Hair " at Coreana Museum of Art.

Soonjong Lee, Herstory, mixed media, 60x150x50cm, 2011. Installation view: "Show Me Your Hair " at Coreana Museum of Art.

Jayoung Yoon, Watching the Mind, 2 channel video, 1min 13sec, 2009. Installation view: "Show Me Your Hair " at Coreana Museum of Art.