Who is Julius Vitali?
Julius has been reinventing the Preposterous Hairstyles since
1983 collaborating with different artists & has exhibited
internationally. His artwork appears in numerous public & private
collections, including those of the Bibliotheque Nationale
in Paris & the Polaroid Corporation in the US. His artwork
has been featured on CNN, The David Letterman Show, & feature
articles in over 800 newspapers & magazines worldwide.
What is a hair sculpture, a.k.a. "preposterous
hair?"
A Brief History of Preposterous Hair: The song "Yankee
Doodle" from the time of the American Revolutionary
War talks of a man who 'stuck a feather in his hat and
called it Macaroni.' This word was first used in 1764 in
England, to describe an upper class man who dressed with
very large and high hairstyle, later it was also called “Preposterous
Hair.” "The Macaroni Club,” consisted
of traveled young men who wore long curls and spy-glasses.
The "club" was used to characterize men who dressed
in high fashion with stripes and tall, powdered wigs with
a little hat on top. Around the 1770s, the French Queen
Marie Antoinette transformed Macaroni into a respected
art form and many of the French Royalty followed. Objects
were added to the hair, which was painted and made into
narrative sculptures. For example, the “A la Zodiac" hair
sculpture featured an astrological sign created in the
hair. The only time Queen Marie Antoinette went out in
public wearing Preposterous Hair was March 20, 1778, when
she greeted Ben Franklin at the Paris dock. She was wore
a hair sculpture containing a replica of the same clipper
ship which he sailed to Paris. This Preposterous Hair was
titled “Independence Hair” or “The Triumph
of Liberty." This tradition continued until about
1789, when the French Revolution put an end to Preposterous
Hair.
What will be put in the hair of the participants?
The Preposterous Hair style has clay (slip/watery clay),
water-based tempera paint, and Styrofoam.
Is it heavy?
Not really, as the materials that are used are very light
weight, the only possible problems that arise are a headache
due to the hair being pulled by the drying clay, which
can be alleviated by using a spray bottle to that area.
What should the model wear and bring?
Comfortable clothes. Wear a button down shirt, one that
does not pull over the head, so you can easily take the
shirt off when you shower.
How is the Preposterous Hair made?
Once the hair is combed, clay (slip) is added to the hair
over a piece of Styrofoam, then a hair dryer dries the
wet clay/hair over the Styrofoam, and then the hair is
painted.
Does it wash out?
Since it is all water-based and soluble, it will take a
few shampoos to rinse out and has to be removed in stages,
the reverse of how it was made. Ask someone to help you
remove the materials in the shower, by first using a spray
bottle to soften the hair and to help remove the clay slip.
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