The purpose of this study is to explore the possibility of formative expression of contemporary hair art by analyzing the symbolism and formative characteristics of ancient Egyptian art styles and reinterpreting them as hair-shaped works using hair. A...
The purpose of this study is to explore the possibility of formative expression of contemporary hair art by analyzing the symbolism and formative characteristics of ancient Egyptian art styles and reinterpreting them as hair-shaped works using hair. Ancient Egyptian civilization is one of the most original cultures in human history that has lasted for more than 3,000 years, and has developed a unique art style amid a religious worldview and a royal-centered social structure. In particular, ancient Egyptian art is characterized by a symbolic expression system that emphasizes eternity, order, and divinity beyond simple factual representation, and these characteristics appear in various art areas such as architecture, sculptures, murals, and jewelry. The various symbolic paintings used in Egyptian art were not just decorative elements, but served as important visual languages that visually conveyed the religious worldview and cultural values of society at the time.
Representative symbols in ancient Egyptian culture include flora and fauna, such as sun discs, lotus flowers, cobras, ankles, and falcons, and these symbols contain meanings such as life, creation, regeneration, protection, royal authority, and eternity. These symbols appear repeatedly in various areas of ancient Egyptian art and form a cultural symbolic system. In addition, these symbolic expressions are combined with shapes, colors, and decorative structures to form unique formative features.
Meanwhile, beauty culture was also an important cultural element in ancient Egyptian society. Ancient Egyptians recognized the act of beautifully decorating the body as a cultural act expressing social status and religious symbolism, not just appearance decoration. In particular, hairstyles, wigs, and jewelry functioned as important visual elements representing an individual's social hierarchy and cultural identity. In ancient Egyptian murals and sculptures, various types of hairstyles, wigs, and decorative structures appear, and these expressions reflect the aesthetic values and social structures of the time.
In modern times, the field of beauty is expanding beyond simple technology- oriented areas to artistic expression. In particular, hair art and hair molding are developing into an artistic expression method that creates new shapes and images by using hair as a formative medium. Hair enables various formative expressions as a material capable of expressing texture through linear flow, flexible structure, and repetitive arrangement. These characteristics show the possibility of using hair as a formative artistic medium, not just a beauty material.
However, previous studies have mainly focused on historical analysis of ancient Egyptian beauty culture and hairstyles, and studies that analyze symbolic formative elements in ancient Egyptian art styles and express them as hair-shaped works using hair are relatively insufficient. Therefore, the study of analyzing the symbolism and formative characteristics of ancient Egyptian art styles and producing hair-shaped works based on them has an important meaning in expanding the artistic expression of hair art.
In this study, the characteristics, formative style, and symbolism of ancient Egyptian art were first examined through literature research, and the characteristics of ancient Egyptian beauty culture and hairstyle were analyzed. In addition, the concepts of hair shaping and hair art were summarized, and the possibility of formative expression using hair was explored. In particular, the possibility of formative expression of hair was analyzed, focusing on formative elements such as line, shape, texture, structure, balance, and rhythm used in hair shaping works.
Based on this theoretical study, the symbolic iconography of ancient Egyptian art was analyzed and reconstructed into a motif of contemporary hair sculpture works. The symbolic motif for the production of works was derived around five concepts: human existence and eternity, protection and femininity, afterlife, royal authority, and divinity. These symbolic motifs are symbolic elements that have an important meaning in ancient Egyptian culture and reflect a worldview that encompasses human life and death, protection and power, divinity and eternity.
A total of five hair sculptures were created based on this. The geometric structure, decorative pattern, and symbolic iconography of ancient Egyptian art were reinterpreted in modern formative language during the production of the work, and a three-dimensional formative structure was formed through the expression of hair shipping flow and texture. In addition, in the process of producing the work, aesthetic elements such as balance, rhythm, proportionality, and contrast, which are the basic elements of formative art, were utilized to enhance the visual completion of the work.
As a result of the study, it was confirmed that the symbolic formative elements of ancient Egyptian art can be reinterpreted in various ways in modern hair molding works, and hair can be used as a formative medium to express symbolic images through shipping flow and repetitive arrangement. In addition, this study is significant in that it presents the possibility of expanding hair design from the realm of simple beauty technology to a field of formative art.
Therefore, by reinterpreting the symbolism of ancient Egyptian art as a modern hair sculpture work, this study is expected to contribute to the expansion of hair art's artistic realm as a study that explores the expressiveness of formative art using hair. In future research, it will be necessary to conduct research on hair sculpture works using various cultural symbols and hair art combined with various art genres such as fashion, installation art, and performance art.