When the Permanent Waves Are Walking Towards Us
2023
Live performative sculpture
30 minutes
3 performers, 3 sculptures made of metal, gelatine and hair
100(H)x41(W)x37(D) cm // 127(H)x30(W)x56(D) cm // 133(H)x50(W)x53(D) cm
Performed by Nanjoo Lee, Masaki Ishikawa, Soyeon Kim
Recorded by Haeun Kim
︎︎︎
photos below: credit to Francis McKee
︎︎︎ Waves: … when the elderly women’s perms were aligned next to each other, being collective, it seemed like waves from the bird’s eye view due to their permed hairstyle. So in my writing, the Waves indicate the imagery of the elder women’s perms. ︎︎︎
My first encounter with the permanent Waves was at Heathrow airport pre-covid.
The Waves were walking forwards with the sounds that are collective and separated at the same time, holding everyone’s attention.
Sat on the 1st floor of the lounge, over the railing, stormed a sea of elderly women with Waves permanently fixated on the crown of their heads.
My attention was stolen immediately,
curious as to how the styling of hair can evoke such an immense emotion.
For the time being, the Waves seemed to arise temporarily but in fact, permanently stayed in me.
Their loudness and repetitive patterns were frightening to strangers, not to people born from the Waves and eventually returning to them.
Near or far, the roots of the Waves will inevitably be visible, no longer hidden or to be feared.
The women, the roots of the Waves, must have visited this airport for a similar reason, through a similar route and with similar labels on them imposed by others who undervalue, deny, and despise the roots.
