Braid

“Braid” is a variant (shorter form) of one of the most important works in Krystyna Piotrowska’s oeuvre - Warkoczyk, a long rope made from natural, human hair, obtained as waste from a wig-making factory. The artist began braiding Warkoczyk in 2009 and has continued this process uninterrupted (it now measures about 300 meters).

The braid is a central motif in many of her other works – for the artist, the theme of hair, on one hand, is a symbol of life and the freedom of women, while on the other hand, of humiliation and discipline. Hair braided thus represents the “obedience” of girls and the “orderliness” of women, in contrast to loose hair, seen as a symbol of intimacy and sexuality. The absence of hair in women is a sign of illness, subjugation or rebellion against conservative norms.

During World War II, a “good appearance”, meaning light-coloured hair, according to the Nazi ideal of the Aryan race, could save a life. In concentration camps, women’s heads were shaved just before being led to the gas chambers, to harvest their hair as a raw material. In Nazi concentration camps and Soviet labour camps, shaving to the skin, justified by hygiene needs, was used to dehumanise and strip female and male prisoners of their dignity. After World War II, shaving the heads of women, who were in personal relationships with Germans, was a public humiliation

These themes can be interpreted in Warkocz, which also shows the ambivalence of the symbolism of hair. It evokes contrasting emotions: live hair-care and admiration, while cut or dead hair-disgust. The sight of piles of cut hair in the concentration camps is one of the most shocking experiences for visitors. Therefore, in Warkocz, as well as in other works, the artist mixes hair colours and textures.

It is not only Warkocz and Warkoczyk which use the motif of hair. Other works include the video Her Hair (2011), Carpet and objects from the Pillows series, which were presented at numerous of the artist’s solo exhibitions.

This multi-layered and multi-threaded, yet highly representative work is incredibly important for the museum's collection of contemporary art.

Małgorzata Bogdańska-Krzyżanek