(9/1/07 - 1/1/08)Our beards are a marker of time, a rebellious gesture, and a way of remembering both the significant and banal events of our daily existence. At the same time they disappear into everyday life, slowly emerging and changing our appearance. Our beards are a social experiment that modifies our identities and how we are perceived by our peers and strangers.
With our beards we enter the world of history; we are Civil War soldiers, hippies, and colonial settlers. We associate with mass murderers, Santa Claus, Walt Whitman, lumberjacks, academics, Shel Silverstien, and terrorists. Our beards exclude us from contemporary politics, corporate business, and the military.
Most importantly our beards serve as a connection between friends and a physical representation of each others absence. They are an everyday reminder of the other... sometimes itchy and nagging, sometimes comforting, but always present.
