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Home > Collective Isolation Project, week 18: Iso hair

Collective Isolation Project, week 18: Iso hair

A man with a big beard and hair receives a trim while three other men look on smiling
21 August 2020

With hairdressers and barbers closed, we're all letting our hair down ... and then some.

Maybe you've grown iso-bangs or an iso-mo, cut your kids' hair or let them self-style with craft scissors, shaved off or grown a beard, let your grey roots shine or covered up with a DIY dye job.

Whatever's going on up top, we'd love to see it! This week, share photos of your best, your worst and your craziest lockdown hairstyles and haircuts.

Share your response at our Facebook Memory Bank group and tag us with #SLVMemoryBank.

About this image

This photo of Antarctic expedition member Peter Manne receiving his first haircut in 12 months was big enough news – or at least suitably photogenic – to be published in Melbourne's daily broadsheet, The Argus, in December 1955. 

The Argus was Melbourne's morning newspaper from 1846 to 1957. In its 19th-century heyday the masthead enjoyed a large circulation and editorial influence – and even in its twilight years it was notable for being the first daily paper in the world to publish colour photographs.

After it closed in 1957 The Argus was acquired by its more liberal competitor The Age, which later donated many of The Argus' photographs to the Library's Picture Collection.

We estimate that the collection contains about 60,000 photographs, most of which are of WWII. Being a newspaper archive, many of the prints in the Argus Newspaper Collection came through commercial agencies or official sources, and many were transmitted by radio which distorted the resulting image. 

Around 600 of the Argus Collection images have been digitised and can be viewed from home through the catalogue. You can also visit Trove to view the Argus article about Peter Manne's haircut!

How to respond

Please feel welcome to respond as creatively or literally as you wish.

If you contribute, we may contact you to discuss collecting and using your images, stories, objects and experiences. We may not be able to accept everything, but we will endeavour to do so! With your permission, your contributions may be added to the State Collection or used in future Library programs.

About The Collective Isolation Project

The Collective Isolation Project aims to cement this current moment in history, and is our inaugural Memory Bank campaign.

Find out more about Memory Bank, including details about how to contribute each week.

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