In her downtown Los Angeles studio, Kelly Reemsten maintains a curated archive of the sartorial. Racks of Dior, Carolina Herrera, and Yves Saint Laurent stand as both artifacts and muses. These garments, known for their classic silhouettes and architectural presence, have long served as the central subjects of Reemsten’s oil paintings—works that frequently juxtapose the refined elegance of high fashion with a subtle, subversive weight.
Her latest body of work, "Fool’s Gold," currently on view at Albertz Benda in Los Angeles, shifts the artist's focus toward the metallic. Comprising a suite of new oil paintings and hand-embellished screenprints, the collection is a dedicated study in gold lamé and sequins. The shift is more than a change in palette; Reemsten describes the exhibition as an exploration of reflection. By capturing the complex way light interacts with synthetic and metallic textures, she translates the ephemeral shimmer of a runway moment into the permanence of heavy pigment.
Reemsten’s process is rooted in a deep respect for the garment as a design object. Her studio houses a growing collection of high-fashion pieces—including recent additions from designers like Molly Goddard—which she treats as a living library. This archival impulse ensures that every texture, from the sheer volume of a contemporary silhouette to the intricate beadwork of a vintage gown, is rendered with a precise, tactile fidelity. In "Fool’s Gold," the surface brilliance of the clothing becomes a lens through which to view the intersection of luxury, identity, and the art of the archive.
With reporting from Cool Hunting.
Source · Cool Hunting
