The Coiffured encompasses a life story in unique and beautiful detailed drawings. It brings art history, hairdressing history and Amanda Jane Graham's expert knowledge of hairdressing techniques together in the artworks. The art practice is research-led. A sociological lens reveals the hairdressing profession's rich and fantastic history. Graham explores the significant landmarks in the history of hairdressing, from the headdresses of Egyptian pharaohs to Queen Marie Antoinette and 18th-century Irish parliamentarian Edmund Burke who wrote, 'the occupation of a hairdresser, cannot be a matter of honour to any person.' Thus, her creative approach provokes a revaluation of historical art from the perspective of a hairstylist, acknowledging the collaborative process. Using instantly recognisable equipment and techniques, she highlights the significant contribution of hairstylists to art history and directly places the hairdressing profession within the frame of historical portraiture.
The Coiffured
Queen: Set and Style, 2022 - Hand-finished 3D printed drawing 184 x 40 x 40 cm
Queen: Set and Style, 2022 - Hand-finished 3D printed drawing 184 x 40 x 40 cm - (Detail)
Romans in Rollers, 2020 - Drawing; Graphite; 78x57 cm - This drawing responds to the manifesto drafted in Paris during the 1760s by hairdressers seeking recognition for their contribution to fine art portraiture. Their creative vision has yet to receive attention; however, this body of new work aims to change that.
Albrecht Dürer: Spiral Wind, 2021 - Drawing; Coloured pencils; 57x36 cm - This drawing references Albrecht Dürer’s Self-Portrait with Fur-Trimmed Robe (1500), part of the collection of Neue Pinakothek in Munich.
An Ode to Léonard-Alexis Autié, 2021 - Graphite and coloured pencil on paper; 77 x 57 cm - This drawing references an etching titled Marie Antoinette (1977) by Jean-Baptiste-Andre Gautier d’Agoty, in which the queen wears the revolutionary hairstyle created by Autié called the ‘Coiffure Pyramidale’. The etching is part of the Art Institute of Chicago collection.
Oliver Cromwell: Basic Wind and Hairnet, 2020 - Drawing; Graphite and coloured pencils; 78x35 cm - This drawing references a marble portrait by Joseph Wilton, completed in 1762 and part of the Victoria and Albert Museum collection.
Three Wans: Sets and Up Styles, 2021 - Graphite and coloured pencil on paper; 57 x 33 cm - This drawing references Portrait of the three daughters of Julius Johann von Vieth und Golssenau (1773) by Anton Graff, which is part of the collection of the Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe in Germany.
Alexander the Great: Roundy Brush Blowdry, 2021 - Graphite on paper; 57 x 37 cm - A portrait bust from the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool inspires this drawing. Their website states: “This sculpture was inspired by an antique bust of Alexander the Great in the Capitoline Museum in Rome. It was made by Carlo Albacini, one of Rome’s leading sculptors in the 18th century.”
Sage: Set and Style, 2022 - Hand-finished 3D printed drawing 194 x 40 x 40 cm
Three Wans: Sets and Up Styles, 2021 - Graphite and coloured pencil on paper; 57 x 33 cm - This drawing references Portrait of the three daughters of Julius Johann von Vieth und Golssenau (1773) by Anton Graff, which is part of the collection of the Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe in Germany.
Marie Antoinette: Basic Piggyback Wind, 2021 - Drawing; coloured pencils; 57x39 cm - This drawing is inspired by an original portrait of Marie Antoinette, painted by Jean-Baptiste Charpentier le Vieux in 1770 and now housed in the Chateau de Versailles in France.
Domitian: Pin Curls, Basic Wind and Hairnet, 2020 - Graphite and coloured pencil on paper; 78 x 57 cm - This drawing depicts a Parian marble portrait bust of Emperor Domitian (ca. 90 AD) housed in the Toledo Museum of Art collection.
William Strahan: Set and Style, 2022 - Coloured pencil on paper; 51 x 36 cm - The drawing references a portrait by an unknown artist, titled A Man Called William Strahan (ca. 1765), held in the Yale Centre for British Art collection in Connecticut.
Nubian Noble: Spiral Wind, 2022 - Graphite, coloured pencil, and pastel on paper; 65 x 44 cm - The inspiration for this drawing is a marble bust titled Head of a Man with Tight Curly Hair, which dates from the 2nd century BC and is part of the Brooklyn Museum collection.
Berenice: Directional Wind, 2020 - Drawing; Graphite and coloured pencils; 50x35 cm.
Venus: Tinfoil Highlights, 2021 - Coloured pencil on paper; 78 x 35 cm - This drawing references Sandro Botticelli’s painting, Venus (1495-96), part of the Musei Reali Torino collection.
Hecate: Brick and Basic Wind, 2020 - Graphite and coloured pencil on paper; 79 x 58 cm
Sphinx: Spiral Wind, 2020 - Drawing; Graphite and colour pencils; 58x39 cm - The Great Sphinx sits amongst the Pharaohs’ pyramids in Giza outside Cairo and is over 4500 years old. The Sphinx is said to have been built by King Khafre and represents the pharaoh as a powerful lion.