Kate Luther
Textile Artist based in Chicago, IL
Photographed by David Clifton Strawn
BIO
Kate Luther is an interdisciplinary artist who lives and works in Chicago, Illinois. Her practice combines the artistic fields of fashion, painting, and fibers. She utilizes unexpected destruction and mindful mending to create textural works that are both inspired by the body and worn by the body.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Is there such a thing as too much good taste? Good taste praises the refined qualities of fine art and the ideal aesthetic and discards the materials in which that are broken, tacky, and misplaced. There are hidden treasures of beauty everywhere even in your garbage can, the sidewalk or your grandma’s couch.
My paintings, garments, and fibers works contain colorful thrifted fabrics, garbage, and paint deemed not fit for a canvas to create forms that are inspired by or utilizing the body in some fashion. By combining the artistic disciplines of fashion, fibers, and painting, I weave all of these unusual materials to create a body of work that is inspired by all forms but does not solely identify with one artistic discipline.
I utilize unexpected destruction and mindful mending in my work to give these unusual materials a place of belonging within each work that I create. I also use it as a way to communicate to those who may not fit into the ideal aesthetic.
The materials I use are far from perfect and need a little work but it greatly reflects the broken beauty found in people and the imperfect treasures found in everyday life.
Website: katelutherart.com + Instagram: @katelutherart
