Medusa At Rhine Hall
I hosted an event inspired by my six painting series about Medusa at Rhine Hall Distillery. The evening consisted of custom cocktails by Rhine Hall, Tarot Readings by Holistic Habits, Portraits by MSav Photography, Bites by Charlotte Master & Live Music by Frankie Master. I also partnered with a local seamstress Erin Doll to create a Textile Instillation.
Guests were greeted with pearls & flame sunglasses to match my painting of Medusa.
Food was catered by Charlotte Master who put together a spread of Grecian & Roman inspired foods: Whipped Feta, cheese, Foccacia and Oysters.
The space was curated to feature my art as the centerpiece. I hung fabric to create an elegant backdrop and adorned the gallery wall with mirrors. The mirrors were not only representative of my themes of identity and reflection but used as a way for people to take photos of themselves with the art. Additionally all of the photos taken of the art reflected the community brought together within the space.
Frankie Master, local singer/songwriter played a set with her band. Further emphasizing the femme space, she played a set of both her music and other women's music around the themes of S.A. and identity.
The Blending of Fashion and Art
Inspiration
When creating my retelling of Medusa, many details felt important to me, but her fashion aesthetic felt almost the most essential. For me, fashion has been a way to not only express my individuality, but embrace my womanhood. It’s helped me to protect myself, instill confidence, and find my identity.
Much like my own style, Medusa’s is a marriage of Renaissance and Retro . I was in Florence when I originally conceptualized Medusa; from luxury designer stores to timeless thrift shops, I was profoundly inspired by the elegance and thoughtfulness of Italian fashion and the way it is so embedded in their culture. Between the iconic emblem of Versace, bold patterns of Gucci Garden, and extravagant details on scarves from eras passed – I was hooked . Other influences that came to mind was my love of Vivienne Westwood and her ability to blend ultra femininity with punk.
Symbolism
I felt it was critical to pay homage to the Ancient Grecian garb , so I attempted to replicate the styling with layering on the bust. The top is a corset, as this feels to be the ultimate symbol of femininity and the restrictions society places on women. In contrast, leather jackets have long been a symbol of freedom and self-expression, and I felt Medusa would require that statement. The corset and skirt is vulnerable, sexy and ultra-feminine, while the leather jacket is her armor and protection from a cruel world. The jacket is adorned with gold embroidered embellishments to pay tribute to the luxury designer brands I felt so inspired by in Italy.
Execution
The incredibly talented Erin Doll began working on this project in September. We spent time looking over mood boards and sketches together, imagining how Medusa would move and how her clothing would move with her. Together we searched for the perfect fabrics to emulate both modern design and timeless luxury. It was important to feel that there was movement and lightness while still keeping the design current, edgy, and ready to wear. Erin hand-drew stripes on two separate pieces of white chiffon, then layered the fabrics in order to create the checkerboard print from my painting with an added element of dimensionality and flow. We wanted to keep the skirts feminine and versatile , so we decided on a wrap skirt that reminded me fondly of my days as a ballerina.
When creating the jacket, Erin worked diligently to create a versatile piece. We wanted the jacket to represent her armor but still show semblances of vulnerability, so she created a piece that could slide easily off the shoulders and flash the beautifully detailed lining.
