Spot on Hairytales
Whether short or long, curly, frizzy or straight, tousled, blow-dried or braided: The way that hair is styled tells us something about social status and belonging to societal groups. Cuts and hairdos expose notions of gender and body image of their time. They reflect norms and are an expression of political protest and resistance.
Female body hair is at the centre of this small exhibition, which presents works of painting, photography, graphic art and design from the 16th century to the present day. The spectrum ranges from Renaissance goddesses to a mobile drying bonnet and a body with artificial pubic hair. Art's view of the female body and the depiction of its hair over the centuries bear witness to ideals of beauty, forms of desire and everyday grooming routines. Dedicated to the hairy stories in the Kunstpalast collection, “Hairytales” opens up perspectives on this intimate, symbolic material.