Gab Bois Presents Her Latest Photograph Series With All-Female Artists
Created in collaboration with Nicole McLaughlin, John Yuyi and Diana Didi Rojas.
Gab Bois is a Montreal-based artist whose work is otherworldly and downright eccentric. Her imaginative creations have garnered her a robust Instagram following for good reason. She takes items that are used on a daily basis and revamps them into pieces of art that create offline conversations. Bois also captures all of her work via a point-and-shoot camera which provides an intimate lens to view each handmade piece.
On a recent trip to New York City, Bois connected with three female artists she met on Instagram including Nicole McLaughlin, Diana Didi Rojas and John Yuyi. Each of these artists have their own unique style of work: McLaughlin focuses on reworking vintage pieces into sustainable, wearable separates, while Yuyi is well-known for her surreal iconography work that speaks to the culture of mass consumption carried on through social media.
According to an official press release, during her four days in NYC, Gab’s sense of community was strengthened due to the creative process and brainstorming behind each collaborative project. We received an exclusive look at the collaborative works and a breakdown of the art processes.
Keep reading for a closer look at the projects and an explanation of the creativity behind each set.
Upon stepping off her flight, Gab Bois met up with Diana Didi Rojas at her Brooklyn studio. As a young ceramist, she sculpts replicas of designer shoes by Balenciaga, Gucci and other fashion houses. Prior to this meeting, the two had been talking on Instagram for a few weeks, as they met in person, a real friendship and connection became apparent. In their collaboration, Diana produced earrings and a ring inspired by Apple’s AirPods and Louis Vuitton’s similar Horizon earphones. After they were created, the products also became jewelry pieces in Gab’s photographs. Inspired by Diana’s work, they complimented the work with material bought the same morning.
Bois was also able to connect with Boston-based artist Nicole McLaughlin, who came to NYC to meet with Gab. They previously discussed the general theme of their collaboration and settled for an “aquatic” theme. Since both artists typically work out of the comfort of their own apartments, Gab’s AirBnB bathroom became their studio. During a trip to a nearby drug store, they randomly bought everything that inspired them on the spot. Their favorite materials spanned Q-Tips, sponges and rubber ducks. They hot-glued and pinned everything together in order to produce one-of-a-kind shoes. For the photo shoot, they filled the bathtub with bubbles and both posed in the tub. They even hoisted their legs up in the air so their “shoes” could get the best light.
The third and final collab created was with Bois’ long-standing inspiration, John Yuyi. Upon the discovery of her work, Gab got encouraged to start her practice and began posting her pictures. Their work sits in the cruxe of the DIY method, so it comes as no surprise that their work was spontaneously driven. The partnership led to Yuyi creating temporary tattoos inspired by the idea of “human contact in relation to technological recharge.” The next day, inspired by the Instagram “Save” feature, they created a life-size version of the button and went to the MoMA to play with artwork in the museum’s lobby.
