In Africa and Latin America, hairdressers not only cut, shave and style hair; they build up hair like real architects. The tropical “Salon de coiffure” is, however, a very diverse world; from street barbershops to posh hair salons. Although there are no standard practices, hairdressers share the charm of always being a meeting place where time is suspended.
Laurent Muschel has travelled all over the Tropics, photographing the intimacy surrounding this special world of hair salons. It is said that the principal characteristic of street photography is the gift of reading signs and communicating them to an unknown audience, a skill that Laurent Muschel has exemplified. He discerns and photographs the small details and gestures, inviting us to come closer and explore further. He opens up an often overlooked world, a world that may feel both strange and familiar to all, but one no less full of beauty.
