Victorian Hairwork: Histories, Techniques, and Material Practice

Some of the most intriguing items in our collection are those made from the Brontës' hair. During the Victorian era hair was often weaved into jewellery for remembrance. Join us for this online event with conceptual artist and historian Donna Lowson, as she guides us through the history of Victorian hairwork and shows us the process of creating hair jewellery. There will also be an opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

Donna Lowson is an artist, collector, and former hairdresser whose practice centres on working with human hair to uncover the stories embedded within it. Drawing on Georgian and Victorian hairwork, the 19th-century practice of creating jewellery and keepsakes from human hair, she uses making as a research method to uncover marginalised craft traditions and bring them into contemporary practice. Donna has collaborated with Bankfield Museum, contributing demonstrations and workshops as part of “In Loving Memory,” and ongoing museum collection study visits and hands-on historical research inform her work. She leads workshops that invite participants to experience the cultural, material, and historical significance of hair firsthand.

If the event is cancelled, we’ll contact you. We reserve the right to make changes to our programme. All information is correct at the time of booking. We kindly ask that you do not bring dogs or other pets to our in-person events unless stated otherwise (if you'd like to bring your service dog to an event, please let us know).