0301 Hairitage
Group exhibition
Guest curators: Soleil Escamilla and XAV
30.01.2025- 18.02.2025
Hairy Chair by NATALIA PETRI
Between the fingers of beloved others that which springs from the head, the transmutable weft and
warp of a genetic tapestry, is anointed with oil, swathed in silks, banded with precious minerals and
shaped into cords which bind us tighter, tied into knots that anchor us to the past, into the strands
of the double helix. Every wave, curl, coil, kink reflects the journey of the person. The threads are
enriched by nourishment or strained by trauma. How we wear our hair speaks not only of ourselves
but of those around us, our families, our friends, our ancestral birthright. Hair is a shield, a belief, it
is a reclamation, it is tradition and duty and play and rejection. Hair can be used to embrace gender
one day and denounce it another. The dichotomy of hair is endless — buzzeut or untouched, there is
both choice and unchoice that can exist within such lengths. This [Hairitage] exhibition brings together
real stories and a diverse array of artists from around the world, each exploring themes of heritage,
self-expression, and collective memory through the lens of hair.
Words written by Jessica Wise Olivares
Our first exhibition of 2025 brings together a diverse team who has put in the work to make a harmonious and impactful experience. In 2024 we met with creative director Xav and hair stylist Soleil Escamilla to hear about a concept that would expand into something much larger than a typical exhibition, we have since watched first hand this project grow and transform into a collaboration featuring the work of 7 artists:
NATALIA PETRI
SARA MEDINA RODRIGUEZ
PRISCILLA BENYAHIA & ANNA ROSE GASSOT
ELIO SOL
JULIA CELLA
ALIDA MARIA LANZI
In addition to the artwork there are 4 interviews captured by audiovisual producers and directors Mwisa Muyayalo and Anya Grechka telling the stories of:
TONI KIBUNJA | Stories from Kenya
RENÉ JIAJING | Stories from China
LAFAT BORDIEU | Stories from Chile
NICOLE TORREALBA | Stories from Venezuela
Untitled / Hair Piece, Pillow part: PRISCILLA BENYAHIA & ANNA ROSE GASSOT
About the curators:
XAV (Brazil, 1994; they/them) is a Barcelona-based art agent, experience designer, curator, and creative director who collaborates with diverse artists, galleries, festivals, and institutions across Barcelona and globally, including MANIFESTA, RZM+ Festival, BRIGHT Festival, Magber Gallery, 200CENT Gallery, and ESPRONCEDA Institute. Together, they create experiences that inspire, educate, heal, and connect. XAV believes art can transform spaces and uplift humanity. Through their highly participatory and immersive art experiences, they challenge traditional exhibition formats that inspire audiences to see the world—and themselves—in new and profound ways.
“As we trace its roots through the dimensions of identity—biological, social, psychological, and spiritual—we uncover a profound depth that many have been forgotten. Hair transcends beauty; it binds us to our ancestors and shapes our understanding of the present and future. My hope is that Hairitage invites you to reflect on these interconnected threads within yourself and your community.”
- XAV, Curator of Hairitage
&
Soleil Escamilla (Mexico; they/them) is a hair stylist, dancer, and multidisciplinary creative based in Barcelona, Spain. Primarily focused on hairstyling while exploring themes of identity, cultural memories, and change, their work is shared within a range of fashion aesthetics to reimagining hairstyles in INSTBerlin hair studio. Soleil has contributed to various works in fashion shows including Spanish fashion brand Nimph, editorial magazines like Pap Magazine, and photography exhibitions around Europe.
“In the studio, I am guided through collective ideas to reimagine a presentation of self expression through hair. This will forever be an ongoing journey for us all, bringing us together by culture, and by style changes. With Hairitage, I wanted to focus on the dialogue behind these practices. Behind the transformations, and the aesthetic touches. To me, this was a look inside the minds of the souls that come to me in the studio wanting to reimagine, nurture, layer, and prune their hair.”
- Soleil Escamilla, Curator of Hairitage
Participitory installation inviting viewers to cut and donate a piece of hair, adding it to one of the 4 hair types
A Head of Hair: JULIA CELLA
Bom Cabello: ELIO SOL
Despedida: SARA MEDINA RODRIGUEZ
Cyanotype workshop led by Sara Medina Rodriguez