Mathilde Levistre

Mathilde Levistre

Materiality
Video: Obscurity Still To Come...
Image: Chateau Bouge, South Of France, August 2022


I am working on this subject matter, everything that could hurt us, humans, dark thoughts, only for our own good, knowing how to accept pain the way it is, find where we buried those thoughts deep in the back of our mind. This thesis project will focus on projecting those moments through my camera and my hands.

Le Château Bouge

I have been and still am exploring those specific feelings by going to many abandoned places, which started in the south of France, « Le Château Bouge »,
In this project I’m looking more into editing my images directly onto the fabric instead of using technology, it is an incredible process that has me ripping my hair off sometimes but truly worth it, a very good friend of mine told me it reminded him of the Nagasaki shadows also known as the shadows of death, those shadows were caused by the atomic bombs in Japan, due to the exposure of the atomic explosion at close range, The intense heat of the A-bomb turned the steps whitish; the stone under the sitting person remained dark, like a shadow.In this project I’m looking more into editing my images directly onto the fabric instead of using technology, it is an incredible process that has me ripping my hair off sometimes but truly worth it, a very good friend of mine told me it reminded him of the Nagasaki shadows also known as the shadows of death, those shadows were caused by the atomic bombs in Japan, due to the exposure of the atomic explosion at close range, The intense heat of the A-bomb turned the steps whitish; the stone under the sitting person remained dark, like a shadow.
Image: The reason we romanticize people after they die is because as human beings we cannot help but respect the frightening void that is death. That respect is manifested by forming a story in our minds about the person who has died, to justify their tiny life in an infinite universe. We tell ourselves « she is gone but look at all the lives that were touched and still remain » we tell this story to comfort ourselves, from the fear that when we are gone, we too will be forgotten forever.
Image: Self Portrait in the Château, August 2022
Callian- France
Image: Print On Silk- Paper Transfer
Image: First Transfer on muslin
Image: Transfer on muslin-Self portraits taken in the south of France, Where everything started. Will then be used as images transferred on final garments
Image: The Voyeur.













I have been and still am exploring those specific feelings by going to many abandoned places, which started in the south of France, « Le Château Bouge », I then came back to New York and decided to pay no fear or mention to the creatures lurking around us at all sides, the voices, the sinking rabbit hole of dripping sludge or the wailing inner child.

-Le Château Bouge- a bridge between my mind and my subconscious

Something is happening to me, I want to be precise with my words but this feeling of suddenly entering a room and not knowing anything, have you ever experienced it ? 
What happened is this. I am trapped in my own dreams, the sun is hot enough to stun and I am wearing only a black underwear, I am laying on the ground. I am deranged by divine love or rearranged by earthly passion. I wear a white turban, and I cling to a wall in the throes of ecstasy. My face is lost in the dark mass of my blonde hair. I am kissing the earth when I would rather kiss the clouds. 
Image: The ivory Curtains, Used as a transfer for a drape effect

Kings Park Psychiatric center, Long Island, NY

I then allowed myself to recreate the universe I Had started in France in New York City, Continuing this series located in locations such as( psychiatric center in stony brook, Fort Totten haunted tunnels.. etc » is allowing me to find the feelings I am afraid of, myself. I must understand the darkest parts of my mind in order to be able to let people understand theirs through my own desire of pain in this duality of past and present.
Shadows are wanted, I believe that too much light destroy the visible.
I am creating a collection which will be replaced by the imaginary creatures, the ones that you want to hold on too.
Image: KIngs park, Long Island, October 2022
Image: Portfolio scan- Transfer on silk
Image: Fort Totten- Exploration and study of the self/ Kings park Reversed
Image: Reflection Of The Self, Fort Tilden, Queens, NY
Image: Image transfer on 100% cotton fabric with acetone
Image:
Scans Of Transfer on 100% cotton fabric

Placing of Images on Garments

Transfer with acetone on Wool
Sketches of First look- Kimono
Video: The Plight of Metamorphosis, Shot in Kings Park PsychiatricCenter, February 2023
Image: Fort Tilden ( top)
Image: Fort Tilden, Abandoned House
Image: Pyjama Set, Le Château bouge, Digital Prints
Image: Final Lineup
Image: Examples of transfer, Before and after transfer on cotton
Image: Transfer with ciltra solv on Silk Crepe de Chine
Image: Transfer for cotton skirt
Image: Abandoned house, Stony brook, Long transferred skirt

Look Book - Obscurity Still To Come

shot in The Majestic Abandoned Theater, Connecticut
Shot also in an abandoned House ( Medium Format) in Long Island
Image: Transferred sleevless top/ Leather Pants/ digitally printed headscarf
Image: Transferred sleevless top/ Leather Pants/ digitally printed headscarf
Image: Abandoned House, Long Island
Image: Transferred 100% Skirt
Image: Transferred head piece
Shot on Medium format
Image:

Theatre Majestic- Connecticut
Image: Theatre Majectic- Angel Dress
Image: Pyjama Set - digitally printed
Image: Pyjama Set - digitally printed
Image: Front
Image: Back
Image: -Dressed To die
Image: -Dressed To die
Image:


- Transferred kimono
Image: Polaroids- Dressed to die
Image: Polaroids. - Transferred Headscarf, Silk Crepe de chine
Image: Chateau bouge transferred dress
Image: Details-
Image: Details-
Image: Back-

Studio Details Shots

Death comes to the beautiful.
Crush your sharp light,
Image: -Pleated Dress
Image: -Pleated Dress
Image: -Pleated Dress
Image: Digitally printed skirt -Fort Tilden
Image: Digitally printed skirt -Fort Tilden
Image:


Dressed to die-
Image:
Details-
Video: Shot on super 8 - Ingridi Viruel

Bio

French and grew up in the suburbs of Paris,
Moved to New York and decided to let this city guide me, to find who I truly was.
I had finally realized that people, their stories, and the challenge of me getting them to open up to me was my only way to survive and learn from the childhood trauma I had been through.

Almost like a breath of fresh air.
her pain shall be and always will be.
she multiple herself to feel herself,
To feel herself she had to feel everything.
To overflow and do nothing but spill out.
Forgotten places.
To undress. To feel vulnerable- to yell.
And to each different facet of her soul represents yet another alter to a different god.

Mathilde is a Motivated fashion student based in New York City, working towards a career in creative direction. Demonstrated experience in a variety of creative disciplines such as photography, garment design, videography, set-design, and writing. Bringing forth a unique perspective and a pure vision paired with a powerful commitment to projects. Bilingual in French and English with strong communication skills.

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