An Italian Import
| Gaialight’s artwork is referred to as “Neo-Pop Conceptual.” |
An art installation demonstrates a marriage between decorative fine art and home fashions
Designer Nancy Koltes has made a name for herself by introducing luxury Italian linens to the American market. So it comes as no surprise that Koltes is also in a collaborative effort to help introduce another Italian import to the American fine arts scene.
From April to May 2008, the window display of Koltes’ New York-based At Home store became the backdrop for a new exhibit from Gaialight, an Italian American artist who uses film iconography and cinematographic images to transform everyday objects into highly decorative artistic collages.
Sponsored by the Italian Cultural Institute of America and held in conjunction with the renowned Tribeca Film Festival, the “Starlight in New York” exhibit intertwined the ornate work of Gaialight with Koltes’ sense of understated luxury.
| Gaialight’s display helped to celebrate a night of Italian cinema during New York’s Tribeca Film Festival. |
Gaialight’s signature style includes turning everyday objects into “Neo-Pop Conceptual” photo collages. For “Starlight in New York,” Gaialight used tin cans displayed in clear melamine cylinders atop candelabras. To keep up with the same contemporary style, a gilded frame hung above, featuring a printed invitation to view the exhibit.
“Her installation had a very devotional look,” says Koltes. “It was pretty arresting to passers-by because it was so decorative and fun, and upon closer inspection, there’s an underlying message and commentary.”
Koltes explains that this will probably be the first of several exhibits that she and her staff will showcase in her New York and other retail stores. Next up for the New York store, Koltes plans to display sketches from an Italian illustrator. For the Philadelphia-based store, Koltes is arranging for the execution of Gaialight’s homage to Grace Kelly, where the larger-scaled store will allow for a larger-scaled exhibit.
While Koltes asserts that her stores are not galleries, the exhibits demonstrate an interesting marriage between the fine and decorative arts.
“We are a home store and we import beautiful product for people to create and decorate with in their homes. And Gaialight’s art is also a beautiful creation, so it is not a big leap to incorporate the fine arts in our stores,” says Koltes.
For more information, visit nancykoltesathome.com or go to gaialight.com.
