JULIUS VITALI: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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.