The ever-popular coil spring beard. |
Salvador Dali, weird for his day, but a quite modest effort by today's standards. |
Having playfully reported on face painting yesterday (the item directly below), I thought I might playfully report on the only exclusively male, bastion of art yet remaining--the fine art of beard growing and grooming. When we hear the word art and beard in the same sentence only one name, only one face comes to mind, that of Salvador Dali. That's strange, because the man never grew a beard in his life beyond five o'clock (a.m. and p.m.) shadows, that is. However his delicate, handlebar moustache he made world famous in at least a half-dozen of stylized manifestations (left). Sometimes it curled, sometimes it was straight (out or up). Moreover, he seems to have thoroughly enjoyed it, mugging for hundreds of photos featuring various playful mustachioed variations. However, Dali's delightful doings would be considered mild by today's standards of artistic excellence in this regard.
There are even beard growing competitions. Although such competitions usually offer a prize for sheer quantity, most go primarily for creativity, the hallmark of all art, which should put to rest any question anyone might have as to whether such follicle frivolity is, in fact, an art form. I feel quite competent in writing about this type of art in that I've had a beard for some thirty-six years. My son (31) has never seen me without one. And, I must confess, I've dabbled in the art of the handlebar moustache too. Let me tell you, such art, if not difficult to conceive, is quite a burden to maintain, especially during the summer months where high humidity is a problem. Mine (back in the 1970s), combined "mutton chop" sideburns with my curled moustache before I finally gave in to a full beard a year or so later. I love being able to shave with just a pair of scissors once or twice a week.
The 2011 World Competition winner, the Snowshoe Beard. |
Beard art is simply a rather hairy form of sculpture, here with a bicycling theme. |
Stuart Wilf, first place in the partial beard freestyle category. |
Showmanship counts for a lot with any type of art. |
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