Martine Syms + Études Studio

Known for her multidisciplinary works, often engulfed in purple, Martine Syms evokes a unique spirit of creativity. Engaging a wide range of media bridging photography, video, performance, and writing, the L.A.-based artist examines representations of Blackness and the realities of feminism in visual culture.

In line with this season’s critical exploration of popular culture, television, and digital media, the collaboration centers upon Syms’ poem Lessons I–CLXXX and words from her monologue showcased in the 2018 exhibition “Grande Calme”, repurposed on garments and accessories. Additionally, Syms’ exhibition inspires the quotidian objects and memories that find themselves printed all over a pair of satin trousers and a silk shirt. The color purple also appears throughout the collection, a signature she attributes to her fascination with Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple”.