For 18 years, photographer Irina Werning traveled across Latin America in search of people with long hair in order to discover and understand its cultural meaning. This book brings together that body of work in an exploration and celebration of identity and of how the sacred intertwines with human hair.

“I search for them everywhere, I travel to forgotten towns, I put up signs, I organise long hair competitions Till i find them And i always ask them: why do you have long hair? «because i like it, cause my dad looks after it…», but the true reason is invisible and passes from generation to generation its the culture of Latin America, where our ancestors believed that cutting hair was cutting life, that hair is the physical manifestation of our thoughts and our souls and our connection to the land.” Irina Werning

This work was exhibited at Fundación Larivière, curated by Vanessa Bell, from May to July 2025.

The book is available with two different covers: Imelda and Sisa.

More information about the exibit.