The Splitends hair salon in Costa Mesa is a work of art in itself. The small building near The Camp shopping center boasts a symmetrical room with a sink, two chairs and two mirrors on each side. Around them, the interior is the ultimate in minimalist chic: white walls with only a few dashes of red for color.
Starting this weekend, though, Splitends will display art of a different kind. Owner Christopher Hall recently collaborated with curator Johnny Sampson to found The Box gallery, in which paintings by local and outside artists line the salon’s formerly nondescript walls. The gallery plans to hold its grand opening from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday — and when business resumes Tuesday, customers can lean back in the barber’s chair and enjoy the eye candy around them.
“It’s going to act as a filter over time,” Hall said. “People who are into art and architecture, I want for my clients as well.”