(Zine version)
Why do we reach for the scissors when we feel distressed?
Is it REALLY time for bangs?
Why do people tell hair stylists their secrets?
Are hair stylists low-paid and untrained therapists?
Why is this millennia-old trade not respected?
These are the questions that inspired the project The Cycle of a Strand & Stylist by former hair stylist turned design student, Emily Johnston. Merging academic research with personal experience, The Cycle of a Strand & Stylist takes an autoethnographic approach to the study of hair, psychology, community, and labor.
The Cycle of a Strand & Stylist essay was transformed into an artists book. The cover is made of synthetic hair and bobby pins set in resin, bound by metal rings, and has a synthetic braid bookmark. The essay juxtaposes text with personal photos, scanned ephemera, and historical artworks.
