Lumi Tuomi

Unveil

An ongoing body of work portraying an intimate perspective to the world of hair loss.

In Tuomi's works, hair and hairlessness intertwine in a dialogue between self-portraiture and portraits of the hair loss community, whilst they explore social and cultural impacts of hair, hair loss and illness.

The artist, sisters, new and old friends. The women in the photographs entwine with hues of lush green, lounge on shapes embedded in serene landscapes or turn away, revealing a bald spot covered with butterflies, as Tuomi’s vulnerable self-portraits merge with the empathetic gaze and presence of the hair loss community. The works are simultaneously documents of present moments and constructions of an alternate future, portraying a utopia where hair loss isn’t otherness but just a way to be.

In their works, Tuomi examines the entanglement of gender and hair, by breaking down and redefining representations of women’s hair loss. Urgency of their work and the resilience in rendering the condition visible, is illuminated by the act of replacing generic visuals of hair loss and baldness, with those created from within the community.

“Sometimes the photographed person is turned away, sometimes looking into the camera. Hair loss as a condition is shrouded with shame and the need to hide, as drastic changes to self-image, body and appearance coexist alongside the public gaze and norms regarding hair. Many of these works simultaneously examine the fear of being exposed and the need to be seen.”

Tuomi was inspired by the notion of gathering and linking people together to share experiences of joy and grief, after growing up with alopecia thinking they were the only one. Through building and maintaining close relationships with those they capture, their work is grounded in the exchange of care between individuals and communities.

The photographs invite to question, how intertwined we are with our hair and the norms associated within, whilst simultaneously revealing Tuomi’s ability to narrate personal and local, yet collective stories, that encompass experiences of living in the ever-changing space between hair loss and hair growth.