This Indian Artist Creates Portraits Out of Human Hair

Indian artist Midhun R.R. creates portraits using strands of hair

(Photo: AP Screengrab)

Video Editor: Vishal Kumar

Can you imagine making portraits with human hair? Indian artist Midhun RR is creating stunningly-detailed portraits and impressive artworks using strands of hair. He manipulates thousands of short hair strands – mostly donated by his friends – to create incredible artworks on A4 size white paper canvas.

The 23-year-old artist from Thamburu, Nellimoodu in Kerala, has innovated a unique technique wherein he uses formaldehyde sprays and needles to give shapes to the hair strands. Midhun takes only three hours to finish one artwork that requires extreme precision and patience.

I spray formaldehyde on the hair strands that are donated by my friends and then dry them for 20 to 30 minutes. Then I cut the hair strands at various lengths, depending on the image and then arrange them one by one using needles. It requires a lot of patience and time.

Midhun RR, Artist

Once he is satisfied with the result, the artwork is sandwiched between two glass panes for long-term preservation. An architecture student, Midhun started experimenting with human hair just seven months ago.

He spends hours cutting and arranging thin hair strands in various shapes and designs in his room which he has now turned into a small studio.

He started painting and sketching at the tender age of 7 but claims that he is still experimenting with the medium. He claims that making portraits with hair is “not an easy job”.

I was in class 10 when I won a rocket model making competition conducted by ISRO. That was the moment when I started taking my work seriously and started devoting my maximum time to art. But I had always wanted to try something different. We all have seen artists using leaves and pencil shavings. I wanted to come up with something really exciting. So I came up with the idea of using hair strands.

Midhun RR, Artist

Midhun has so far created ten hair art pieces including The Last Supper and portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Mahatma Gandhi.

It was my dream to create Gandhi Ji’s portrait. It took me nearly three hours to create that portrait. I am extremely happy with the result. It has come out really well.

Midhun R.R., Artist

(With inputs from AP)