Shoplifter recently brought her hair-based art to Venice Biennale, creating an immersive cave installation out of the cascading layers of hues and unsettling textures. The Icelandic artist, whose real name is Hrafnhildur Arnardottir, has long used both real and fake hair to create her massive works.
“Working with both synthetic and natural hair, her sculptures, wall murals and site-specific installations explore themes of vanity, self-image, fashion, beauty and popular myth,” her site says. “For Shoplifter hair is the ultimate thread that grows from our body. Hair is an original, creative fiber, a way for people to distinguish themselves as individuals, and often an art form. Humor plays a large role in her life and work, sometimes subtly, but at other times taking over.” See more of her work from past projects below.