Strands of Love; on Reimagining Victorian Hair Jewellery
This project was a labour of love. I was inspired by the traditional Victorian practice of hair jewelry and specifically how it intertwined with their complex mourning traditions.
Body:Process of Creation
This project was easy in theory, the materials I used were mostly things I already had. The only things I had to purchase were the frame which I bought second hand along with the glue gun and glue sticks which I got at the dollar store. Acquiring the hair was never an issue, my friends had previously expressed interest in participating in an art piece of this nature. My biggest worry was seeing my friends to get their hair as most of my long term friends from my hometown are not located in Toronto. I was able to gather Ella and Leah's hair during Ella's birthday weekend which was great timing. I do intend to continue this process and collect more from my other friends over the summer break but I might need to get a bigger frame. When I thrifted the frame it came with a picture already inside (the kind of picture you always see in doctors offices, a baby posed in a bathtub, faded and sun-stained) which I removed. I glued a piece of black bristle board to the back piece, then I glued the white and sparkly tissue paper on top of that. The tissue paper is extremely thin and slightly see through, a corner of it actually ripped while I was inserting it back into the frame. I used the same tissue paper while I was packing Ella's birthday gift, I think it has a very light and airy vibe to it, young and happy. Who doesn't love sparkles? I used pink ribbon that belongs to my great grandmother because I thought it was cute but also because everyone I got hair from is a woman. This process was traditionally seen as women's work and a feminine hobby so this was a way of paying homage to all of the artistic women of the past that paved the way.
Meaning behind the Form
The focus was on material memory in reference to the historical use of hair in mourning jewelry during the Victorian era. It needed to be tangible and I wanted it to be visible; displayed with pride for the public. Having it so public being a reference to how communal the grieving process was then and the emphasis on community rather than individualism of the time. My entire argument is that we need to be loving our people loudly while they are still here to having it framed and hung on my wall made the most sense. I have no shame in my feelings and I'm quite proud of what I created.
Historical Context
This practice cannot be appreciated without acknowledging the inherent privilege that came with having the ability to grieve publicly, this was not a practice afford to slaves (Michelon pp. 81). What started as an accessible way of recognizing the deceased became a show of class and material value rather than creativity. Hair art was a considerably accessible pastime for women and became a popular hobby in middle class American and British households who accessed instructions for different patterns in a various number of magazine articles (Yan pp.127). It was a way for women to find a sense of autonomy and identity in an oppressive society.
Conclusion:
This page has paths:
- Strands of Love; on Reimagining Victorian Hair Jewellery Florence Rockall
- Strands of Love; on Reimagining Victorian Hair Jewellery Florence Rockall
- Strands of Love; on Reimagining Victorian Hair Jewellery Florence Rockall