Hair Stories

Ali Ruffner
Hair Stories, 2016Perfomance
12' x 12' 

Hair Stories was a performance and sculptural piece that involved looking at issues of race, identity, femininity, and female relationships as told through hair. Throughout history, hair has taken on a variety of social and political implications—from stigmas against hairstyles to hairstyles being reclaimed as symbols of empowerment and protest. The act of doing another person's hair is culturally, historically, and socially relevant. What does it mean and what can it look like to engage with other women, cross-culturally and cross-generationally, in this act of doing hair? In light of our current political landscape highlighting the aspects of our society that are as sexist, racist, biased, and ignorant as ever, hair doesn’t seem like a very important topic. However, it is apparent through the piece that the topic of our hair experience is an axis of truth and empowerment for a greater understanding of identity, sexuality, race, and gender politics across the board. Fourteen women including the artist herself were involved in the making of this piece. The task they were performing was simple: entering the room and engaging in the "act" of doing each others hair. The audience saw knowledge sharing and identities changing, as well as some participating as bystanders. A variety of questions arose in conversation around the piece--What does it mean to see a white woman shaving a Latinx's woman's head? What questions come up when hair experiences are being shared between black and white women? Between older and younger women? What is expected of women in terms of knowledge of or relationship with their hair? How do we conceptualize or think about overtly feminine tasks? What does it mean to engage with a simple act of hair doing in an art setting?