’Nailed’, a new book by Dzine

Lady stood holding hands together showing nail art — US artist Carlos Rolon, who goes by the name Dzine (pronounced ’design’, naturally), has spent the last few years documenting nail trends wherever he travels, from Europe and the Caribbean to Singapore and the US. Now he has brought these together in a new book, titled Nailed. Photograph by Kai Regan

(Image credit: Kai Regan)

When Carlos Rolon was growing up in West Chicago in the 1970s, his mother had the entrepreneurial savvy to set up a bootleg beauty salon in the family's TV room. Needless to say, the nail business boomed on their plush leather arm chairs and the young Rolon, now a contemporary artist working under the name Dzine, was a very willing voyeur. With those fond, crystal clear memories dancing in his head, Dzine (pronounced 'design', naturally) has spent the last several years documenting nail trends wherever he travels, from Europe and the Caribbean to Singapore and the US.

The fruits of his fascination have now found their way into his new book, 'Nailed', a photographic history of nail art that starts with the ancient Egyptians and ends up with the rhinestone-clawed Puerto Ricans in Miami beach. 'I couldn't believe that there wasn't any book that dealt with finger nails as an art form,' Dzine said at Miami's Standard Hotel where, during Art Basel Miami Beach, he re-created his parent's living room, complete with shaggy carpet, dusty wallpaper and two ton TV. Manicures were given out for free to celebrate his new book, but the pop up was mostly just to honour his mom, the best muse an artist could have asked for.

Split picture showing a pile of jewellery — A spread from the book

Photographs by Kai Regan

Ladies hand making o sign showing nail art — The photographic history of nail art starts with the ancient Egyptians and ends up with the rhinestone clawed Puerto Ricans in Miami beach

Photograph by Kai Regan

Ladies hand making upside down O showing nail art — The book is published by Standard Press and Damiani Editore

Photograph by Kai Regan

Light up wall sign saying "imperial nails" — ’I couldn’t believe that there wasn’t any book that dealt with finger nails as an art form,’ Dzine said at Miami’s Standard Hotel where, during Art Basel Miami Beach, he opened ’Imperial Nails’, a re-creation of the salon in his parent’s living room...

Photograph by Chris Mosier

Photo frames on patterned wallpaper walls — ... complete with dusty wallpaper, shaggy carpets and a two ton TV

Photograph by Chris Mosier

Old box TV with lady holding daughter — Manicures were given out for free to celebrate his new book, but the pop up was mostly just to honour his mom, the best muse an artist could have asked for

Photograph by Chris Mosier

JJ Martin