A Manifesto of Hair

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Ho Tam, Kelly, from the series A Manifesto of Hair, 2014–2023. Courtesy of the artist and Paul Petro Contemporary Art
Ho Tam, Kelly, from the series A Manifesto of Hair, 2014–2023. Courtesy of the artist and Paul Petro Contemporary Art

A Manifesto of Hair is Vancouver-based artist Ho Tam’s study of the significance of hair and hair cutting as seen by looking at salons and barbershops in Manhattan’s Chinatown. The project explores the relationships among race, class, identity, and commerce through an examination of the culture of hair care.

Ho Tam, Highcut, from the series A Manifesto of Hair, 2014–2023. Courtesy of the artist and Paul Petro Contemporary Art

Manhattan’s Chinatown, on the homeland of the displaced Lenape, is one of the world’s oldest and largest of its kind for the diasporic Chinese and Southeast Asian population. The densely populated neighbourhood houses over one hundred barbershops and hair salons, which serve locals and visitors, often operating over long hours, at cutthroat prices. Outnumbered only by the food industry, the high concentration of barbershops reflects the importance of hair and appearance to these immigrant communities. 

Ho Tam, Unisex, from the series A Manifesto of Hair, 2014–2023. Courtesy of the artist and Paul Petro Contemporary Art
Ho Tam, Unisex, from the series A Manifesto of Hair, 2014–2023. Courtesy of the artist and Paul Petro Contemporary Art
Ho Tam, Messlook, from the series A Manifesto of Hair, 2014–2023. Courtesy of the artist and Paul Petro Contemporary Art
Ho Tam, Messlook, from the series A Manifesto of Hair, 2014–2023. Courtesy of the artist and Paul Petro Contemporary Art

Working across different disciplines, Tam makes art with a democratized approach. The topics of self-reflection, visibility and representation are some of the common themes in his work. During his stay in New York from 1996 to 2003, Tam was an acute observer and an active participant within the local cultures—both an insider and outsider. Tam’s A Manifesto of Hair studies the cultural significance of, and obsession with, hair and haircutting by looking at the related business establishments, their architecture, and the activities and individuals that occupy them. By the artist’s precise eye, the camera picks up the detailed complexity of the scenes and unfolds narratives of daily moments in the mega-metropolis. Highlighting the working class within this marginalized community, the photographs investigate how individuals negotiate their identity within a larger social context, adapting to new norms while reinventing their lives. On one hand, the salons function as a refuge of self-care and comfort, while, on the other, they evoke questions about conformity under homogenized beauty standards and societal expectations.

Ho Tam, Chung Wah, from the series A Manifesto of Hair, 2014–2023. Courtesy of the artist and Paul Petro Contemporary Art
Ho Tam, Chung Wah, from the series A Manifesto of Hair, 2014–2023. Courtesy of the artist and Paul Petro Contemporary Art
Ho Tam, Ting Ting, from the series A Manifesto of Hair, 2014–2023. Courtesy of the artist and Paul Petro Contemporary Art
Ho Tam, Ting Ting, from the series A Manifesto of Hair, 2014–2023. Courtesy of the artist and Paul Petro Contemporary Art

In additional to the newly printed photographs, the exhibition will also include Tam’s two previous works on the same subject: Hair Cuts (video, 7 min, 1999) and Haircut 100 (artist’s book, 60 pages, 2014).

Ho Tam, Hong Kong, from the series A Manifesto of Hair, 2014–2023. Courtesy of the artist and Paul Petro Contemporary Art

Presented by Paul Petro Contemporary Art

Ho Tam (b. Hong Kong) is a media/visual artist who has worked in advertising and community psychiatry. He received a BA from McMaster University and an MFA from Bard College (NY). From 1996 to 1997, he was a participant at the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program. Tam has exhibited in public galleries and alternative spaces across Canada. Over 15 of his experimental film/video works are in circulation. Tam is also the publisher of Hotam Press, an independent press of artist books, and currently runs a bookshop and gallery of the same name. Ho Tam lives in Vancouver, BC and has been exhibiting at Paul Petro Contemporary Art since 2002.

  • Ho Tam (b. Hong Kong) is a media/visual artist who has worked in advertising and community psychiatry. He received a BA from McMaster University and an MFA from Bard College (NY). From 1996 to 1997, he was a participant at the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program. Tam has exhibited in public galleries and alternative spaces across Canada. Over 15 of his experimental film/video works are in circulation. Tam is also the publisher of Hotam Press, an independent press of artist books, and currently runs a bookshop and gallery of the same name. Ho Tam lives in Vancouver, BC and has been exhibiting at Paul Petro Contemporary Art since 2002.

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