This idea came to me when I found out about Sonya’s story. Sonya is our client, she is 20, she had been growing her brown hair for 12 years when she was diagnosed with alopecia. Of course, involuntary loss of hair is not exactly pleasant. So we decided to create an art project with the idea that hair loss is not necessarily about ‘losing’, but that it can also be about ‘creating’. We wanted to send a message to those who are faced with similar situations: it’s up to you wether you choose to sorrow or you choose to move on while leaving a piece of you to the world.

A dozen people have donated their hair for this project. They believe that hair, as a material, has a second life. We asked the participants a question: If their hair lived on, what kind of hair would it be?

“If my hair lived longer, it would do all the stuff I did not allow it to do. My hair would lead a wild and risky life without looking at anyone twice! It would change colour every day, flutter in the wind while leaning out of a train window; it would say goodbye to ends that’ve been cut with no regret. My hair would probably end up sad, but it’s better to be short and full of colour than long but boring.”
– Diana, 26

“I never thought about this. But if my hair had its own life after being cut, I would like it to be related to art. A sculpture or other art object that can be enjoyed for its tactility, for example by people who are blind.”
– Margaret, 27

“If my hair lived longer… it is a part of me, but at the same time, it’s not me anymore. Recently I read about a film director’s idea, that movies, at the point of their release, begin to live their own lives. I find a parallel to hair in that idea.”
– Nasty, 23