Rachel's Stunning Thesis

Congrats Rachel!

Name: Rachel Luyster

Age: 26

School: Fashion Institute of Technology
Major: Fine Arts

Where did you draw your inspiration from to create your installation?
I am really interested in texture, the tactile nature of fabric, and manipulating it. I like the cast shadows you get from draping and lighting certain areas different ways. I like to forge relationships between fabrics that draw attention to the differences in weave and surface quality. I really wanted to emphasize the inherent nature of the cloth, which is why I chose to keep an overall white/neutral palette. With a generally monochromatic palette, the detail of the fabric and the way in which each particular piece drapes becomes the focus.
The tree is intended to show the contrast between form and structure. When the fabric is draped over an object that is typically strong and rigid there becomes a sense of vulnerability. It is a metaphor for life. In youth, trees are something to play on: climb up, swing from, rest against. As we grow we become withered, as does the tree. Yet, even as the tree ages, there is still an impression of comfort and purity.

How many hours did it take you to complete it?
The entire piece took 4 months. The final installation took 5 days, where each day was pretty much an 18+ hour day.

What was your favorite part of creating this installation?
The actual installation process was a huge learning experience. It took 5 days to install and the only time I was not working on the installation was when I was at home sleeping (I actually even spent a night at the installation site and took a power nap as opposed to going home.) It was really intense and grueling but I learned so much, not only just about myself and my own work but also about process, tools, problem solving and working with others.

Is there a message that you are trying to convey? If so, what?
There wasn’t a particular message that I wanted to convey necessarily. I wanted each individual to connect to the piece in his or her own way. Whether it is the fabric or the structure that draws them in, I wanted to create a quite, tranquil place to observe and interact.

What is it made of?
The exterior is cloth, thread, and rope. The skeleton is made of wood and wire.

How will you use what you learned from this project in your future work?
I am still interested in working with cloth so I would like to continue to pursue using the same materials. I think though that after such a massive installation I want to scale back and work on some smaller projects. It is difficult to store a 15-foot square by 25-foot tall piece of work, ha.

Which artist are you into the most right now?
I saw an Anselm Kiefer show last fall that really impacted me. His sculptures are so sad yet so beautiful and so incredibly inspiring. The work dealt with WWII and the Holocaust so it was a very heavy exhibition given the subject matter. But the work was just so stunning it was such a moving experience.

If you could have drinks with any artist (dead/alive), who would it be and why?
Wassily Kandinsky. He was the first abstract artist. In a time when paintings were just portraiture, landscape, or scenes I’d love to sit down with the man who essentially changed the face of art. Plus, I really admire his work.