{"id":1922796,"date":"2026-05-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1922796"},"modified":"2026-05-07T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T21:00:00","slug":"irina-werning-chronicles-18-years-of-photographing-las-pelilargas-in-a-new-book","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1922796","title":{"rendered":"Irina Werning Chronicles 18 Years of Photographing \u2018Las Pelilargas\u2019 in a New Book"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1997\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"A black-and-white photo of a young woman with very long black hair, her back to the camera, who stands amid some large cacti, with some of her hair stuck in the spikes\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">All images \u00a9 Irina Werning, courtesy of GOST Books, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Irina Werning Chronicles 18 Years of Photographing \u2018Las Pelilargas\u2019 in a New Book<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-05-07T08:25:36-05:00\">May 7, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-books\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/books\/\" rel=\"tag\">Books<\/a><a class=\"category-photography\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/photography\/\" rel=\"tag\">Photography<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/kmothes\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Kate Mothes<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F05%2Firina-werning-las-pelilargas-photography-portraits-book%2F&amp;title=Irina%20Werning%20Chronicles%2018%20Years%20of%20Photographing%20%26%238216%3BLas%20Pelilargas%27%20in%20a%20New%20Book\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#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\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"473756\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>For the better part of two decades, <a href=\"https:\/\/irinawerning.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Irina Werning<\/a> has traveled throughout Latin America searching for a specific trait: incredibly long hair. In her photography series <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2024\/03\/irina-werning-las-pelilargas\/\">Las Pelilargas<\/a><\/em>\u2014meaning \u201cthe long-haired ones\u201d in Spanish\u2014she chronicles a time-honored Indigenous tradition through a visual celebration of patience, joy, and cultural pride.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement, Werning shares that when she asks young women in the many small towns she\u2019s visited why they have long hair, they respond with simple reasons akin to, \u201cBecause I like it.\u201d But, Werning adds, \u201cThe true reason is invisible and passes from generation to generation. It\u2019s the culture of Latin America, where our ancestors believed that cutting hair was cutting life, that hair is the physical manifestation of our thoughts and our souls and our connection to the land.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-7.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473756\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1362\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-7.jpg\" alt=\"A line of young women with very long hair, facing away from the camera\" class=\"wp-image-473763\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>Nearly 90 images are included in Werning\u2019s new book, <em>Las Pelilargas<\/em>, published by GOST Books. The photos span 18 years, starting with the artist\u2019s first encounter with long-haired women in 2006 in Argentina, when she was photographing members of the Indigenous <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Qulla\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kolla<\/a> community. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cGuided by her intuition, she went on to spend months in remote mountain towns putting up signs in schools, hospitals, and markets, and organising hair competitions in an effort to seek out those with long hair,\u201d GOST says. Werning continued to make the portraits until 2024.\u00a0\u201cShe found that traditions were not just surviving, but evolving\u00a0with long hair symbolising both\u00a0continuity and subtle rebellion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Find your copy on <a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/96\/9781805980162\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bookshop<\/a>. You might also enjoy Celia D. Luna\u2019s series, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2023\/01\/celia-luna-cholitas\/\">Cholitas Bravas<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-4.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473756\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-4.jpg\" alt=\"A group of young women with very long hair stand and throw their locks very high into the air\" class=\"wp-image-473760\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-2.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473756\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2915\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-2.jpg\" alt=\"A trio of young women on a bunk bed with very long black hair draped over the edge of the bed\" class=\"wp-image-473758\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-6.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473756\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1499\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-6.jpg\" alt=\"A group of young women with very long hair sit along a stone wall in a line\" class=\"wp-image-473762\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-5.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473756\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2999\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-5.jpg\" alt=\"A young woman with very long hair stands facing away from the camera, with colorful dots in her hair\" class=\"wp-image-473761\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-3.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473756\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1365\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-3.jpg\" alt=\"A black-and-white photo of three young women with long black hair, near a stone wall\" class=\"wp-image-473759\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-9.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473756\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2666\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-9.jpg\" alt=\"Two young women with very long hair stand amid trees and vines that are a similar color to their hair\" class=\"wp-image-473766\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-8.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473756\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2999\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-8.jpg\" alt=\"A young woman with very long hair stands in her house\" class=\"wp-image-473764\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-10.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-473756\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2490\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pelilargas-10.jpg\" alt=\"The light green cover of a book by Irina Werning titled 'Las Pelilargas' with a photo of a young girl with very long hair pinned up around her head like a star\" class=\"wp-image-473765\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark style=\"background-color:#88caf0\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>Do stories and artists like this matter to you?<\/strong><\/mark> Become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"118516\">Colossal Member<\/a> now, and support independent arts publishing.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"block-17\" class=\"widget widget_block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-top is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-top member-benefits is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<ul 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href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/05\/merryn-omotayo-alaka-sam-fresquez-hair-sculptures\/\" rel=\"prev\">Next article<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All images \u00a9 Irina Werning, courtesy of GOST Books, shared with permission Irina Werning Chronicles 18 Years of Photographing \u2018Las Pelilargas\u2019 in a New Book May 7, 2026 BooksPhotography Kate Mothes Share Email Bookmark For the better part of two decades, Irina Werning has traveled throughout Latin America searching for a specific trait: incredibly long 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