ADRIANA PAPALEO

Adriana Papaleo is a NYC based hair stylist, artist, and creative director. She has been in the industry for 20 years. Her work touches multiple facets of the hair and art world. Adriana has worked with major hair care brands such as Bed Head and Rob Peetoom as an educator, salon stylist, and creative director. As a freelance stylist on various editorial, commercial and runway shows for Mara Hoffman, Babyliss, Jonathan Simkhai, Steward Weitzman and others. She has also worked on collaborations in the art world in sculpture and video work. Artist collaborations include an installation with Amy Cutler which was on view at Site, Santa Fe and Leslie Tonkonow Gallery, NYC, as well as video pieces with Samantha Nye shown at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Arnhem Museum in Arnhem Netherlands. Adriana uses hair as a medium to create tailored experiences for her clients and deeply explores the interconnectivity of the self, societal expectation, and the visual expressions thereof. 

I have always been in love with the fibre of hair. Since I can remember it was a source of comfort, and beauty. Of time and of the human essence. It also symbolizes the rebellion of traditional representations of those ideas. I use hair as a way not only to express myself, but to create safe spaces for others to be seen and actualized. To create confrontation with the disembodiment of hair, or the inspiration of the impossible with evocative editorials and larger than life pieces. I’ve dedicated nearly half my life to the connection we have with our hair as individuals and the societal dichotomy of perfection vs vanity; of the expectations of gender and self expression.