Having something of an obsession about my hair, I've been looking forward to the next installment of Nelson's Electric Chaircut. The announcement just came in: This Saturday, from 4:00 to 7:00, Nelson Loskamp will give free haircuts at Printed Matter, which is hosting the second annual Artists T-Shirt Summer Spectacular.

A Brooklyn-based artist who originally took up styling to support his art, Nelson gradually united the two into a ritualistic, fetishized form of performance art. "It's a lot like sculpture," he said in a phone interview yesterday. "I sometimes use a chain saw to hack form out of a rough block of wood. There's lots of noise involved, and I wanted to bring some of that intensity to cutting hair. But in the Chaircut, it's not nearly as rough." Photo left: Nelson at DUMBO Art Fair by Jason Graham.

PR: How did the Chaircut evolve?

NL: It started out when I was doing some noise band stuff with friends, and one said, "Could you tie me up and cut my hair, rough me up a bit, and no small talk, OK?" Then another friend gave me some of those cheap little stick-on contact mikes that I wire into a practice amp I wear like a backpack. I keep adding more elements with each performance, depending on what the mood is like.

PR: How does a Chaircut differ from what you do in the salon?

NL: Chaircut is definitely a more freestyle way of cutting, with enough precision to hold a look together. It's usually shorter and more experimental -- more gestural, like action painting.

PR: Do you have many repeat customers?

NL: Yeah, a lot of people really get into it. They're going for a wilder kind of look and they like the idea of giving up control of what's usually a pretty precise thing, which most hair cutting is. When I did the DUMBO art fair recently, several people called ahead to make sure it was on. Said it was the only way they want to have their hair cut. They get into the performance aspect of the noise, and having it done in front of a crowd.

PR: Why do you think some people get uptight about their hair?

NL: Maybe it's because the haircut is often associated with big events, where it's important to look your best. Here you get the whole thing in one experience. It's a modern ritual where the sound is a direct product of the action of the haircut. And you end up with a unique look.

At 11:00 am, Printed Matter will begin the sale of T-shirts made by artists William Bahan, Douglas Groupp, Maya Hayuk, Kayrock and Wolfy, Nelson Loskamp and Uzi, Noah Lyon, Maya Miller, j. morrison, Asher Penn, Jasper Sebastian Sturup, Eric Shaw, Adam Shecter, and Elizabeth Sporleder. The Heartchallenger ice cream truck will make a stop, and the party kicks off at 4:00 pm with music by DJ Dr. Ninja's Black Bart Sabbath Sound System and a free raffle for selected T-shirts. Please check the website for details.