BELLO PÚBLICO
BELLO PÚBLICO
CREDITS
Hair is a rather complicated thing, with hidden meanings nestling between strands: in Western society, especially for women, it is desirable for most body hair to be removed and yet, the hair on your head should be prized, coiffed and cherished. An unwieldy mane is often a sign of bad hygiene or an alternative lifestyle, but it is also a thing of beauty, natural and intrinsically ours. Alejandra Franch Pasamar (1980, Spain) creates an ode to hair in her on-going project Bello Público (beautiful public), which is a play on the Spanish for pubic hair (vello púbico). The black and white images span a range of different types of tresses, from afro hair straightened into stiff peaks, to under-arm fluff and doesn’t just stop at humans – cats and sheep as well as a coconut are also included in the series. The artist aims to question the current meaning of hair in our society and eventually, define how we are influenced by contemporary society and the media.
Alejandra Franch Pasamar was one of the 38 photographers selected for the shortlist of GUP#47, our 10th anniversary issue, for which an Open Call was held.
