Rachel Feinstein on Fantasy, Reality, and the Duality of Façade

Rachel Feinstein's exhibition 'Façade' at SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah runs through July 3, 2023. The show features painted panoramas, large-scale sculptures, and 40-foot-long wall-reliefs spanning her career. In a conversation with SCAD President Paula Wallace during deFINE Art in February, Feinstein discussed the duality of stage sets and the interplay between fantasy and reality. She drew inspiration from Savannah's Antebellum history and her childhood experiences at Disney World. The exhibition was curated by assistant curator Brittany Richmond, who emphasized a cohesive color palette of red, black, and white. Feinstein also reflected on her mirror paintings, which she considers sculptures, and her interest in monotheistic religions and the body. She cited influences from Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical art, and noted that her early work was inspired by street signs in Miami. Her experience as a model and set designer shaped her perspective on immediacy in fashion versus the long-term view of fine art. The sculpture 'Puritan's Delight' was previously shown in SCAD's 'Little Black Dress' exhibition, with André Leon Talley describing it as 'collapsed elegance.'