"When she asks young women in the many small towns she's visited why they have long hair, they respond with simple reasons akin to, "Because I like it." But, Werning adds, "The true reason is invisible and passes from generation to generation. It's 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.""
"Nearly 90 images are included in Werning's new book, Las Pelilargas, published by GOST Books. The photos span 18 years, starting with the artist's first encounter with long-haired women in 2006 in Argentina, when she was photographing members of the Indigenous Kolla community. "Guided by her intuition, she went on to spend months in remote mountain towns putting up signs in schools, hospitals, and markets, and organising hair competitions in an effort to seek out those with long hair," GOST says."
"Werning continued to make the portraits until 2024. "She found that traditions were not just surviving, but evolving with long hair symbolising both continuity and subtle rebellion.""
Irina Werning spent nearly two decades traveling through Latin America to document incredibly long hair. Her photography series, Las Pelilargas, celebrates patience, joy, and cultural pride through portraits of young women and Indigenous communities. When asked why they keep long hair, many give simple answers such as liking it, while the deeper reason is described as invisible and passed down through generations. The tradition is rooted in beliefs that cutting hair cuts life, and that hair reflects thoughts, souls, and connection to the land. Nearly 90 images span 18 years, beginning in 2006 in Argentina with the Kolla community, and continuing through 2024, showing traditions evolving with long hair symbolizing continuity and subtle rebellion.
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