The labor around textile arts, weaving, braiding, stitching, materially and symbolically parallel the labor put into women’s hair. Split Ends & Frayed Seams aims to use fiber art as a structural and conceptual framework for discussing the emotional, cultural, and physical aspects of hair.
This is a Dos-à-dos book that can be read from either direction. Split Ends is an exploration of tools, techniques, and writing surrounding the maintenance of hair care and hair as a craft. Frayed Seams addresses these same themes around textile arts & crafts, as well as the care that goes into mending & preserving garments. Each side consists of four research and literary essays addressing these themes, all written by women. Dispersed throughout each side of the book printed on colored paper is a catalog of tools relevant to the history of the care of hair/textile. All images were collected from the New York Public Library Picture
Collection, curated & scanned for this book.
From rituals to artistic documentation, this publication examines how hair care and fiber arts lie at the intersection of intimacy, family and care. Hair, like fiber, holds shape, memory, and the mark of every hand that combs through it. The labor is never complete. Hair grows out and the care is ongoing.
Hand Embroidered Hard Cover with Exposed Spine
8 in x 6.5 in
2026
- Design, Direction & Production
- Aarushi Agiwal
Project link
