1997 - 2003

Cautionary Tales for Young Girls

From Hair Work

This title encompasses a group of works made using wig hair, which draws our attention to idealised forms of sexuality.

Many of the works refer to literary sources, for example The Betrothed in based on a scene at the beginning of Midnight’s Children, Tita’s Gift references an incident in Like Water for Chocolate and Split Peaches imagines a hairstyle mentioned in The Memoirs of a Geisha.

These works all address awakening or concealed sexuality.

Rapunsal and The Secret

Rapunzel is constructed using blond wig hair, woven into a hemp structure using wig maker’s tape. It references the fairy tale of that name and cascades from the ceiling being about 3 metres long.

It was shown originally in an installation at The Diorama Gallery, London along with The Secret, which is made using a plastic moulded pond, surrounded by sand and earth. Blond wig hair floats on the water.

Rapunzel was then shown in various exhibitions, changing form and nature.

Rapunzel – 3m in length – wig hair, hemp, adhesive tape-1997
The Secret – 90cmx200cmx150cm-plastic pond, sand, packing, water, wig hair-1997

(Shown together in an installation at Diorama Gallery)

Rapunzel - as above - 1997 - shown as part of Angelus Novus

New York Idyll - as above (Rapunzel) but with base of real hair, re-arranged for show in NYC, 1998

Split Peaches

Split Peaches imagines a hairstyle mentioned in The Memoirs of a Geisha.

Dimensions variable (about 1m diameter each piece) – wig hair, kapok, velvet, cotton thread - 2003

Encroaching, The Betrothed and Tita’s Gift

Encroaching – Wig hair, peeling wall paper, dimensions variable, 1997

The Betrothed – 2mx1.5m – wig hair, net, Perspex rod - 2003 

Tita’s Gift – double bed, wig hair, cotton sheet – 2003
(based on incident in Like Water for Chocolate – Laura Esquaval)