Lucine Kaplan
Lucine Kaplan (b. 1996) is an American fiber artist based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, internationally recognized as the first artist to pioneer the use of nylon stockings as a two dimensional fiber art medium on hook based canvas. Working at the intersection of fashion, feminism, and material memory, Kaplan transforms donated hosiery into tactile compositions that examine bodily presence, cultural identity, and the evolving narratives surrounding women in Western society. Since 2013, Kaplan has developed a distinctive practice rooted in process driven experimentation and conceptual inquiry. Nylons collected from women, drag performers, and dancers across the United States are upcycled, torn, and meticulously applied to handmade hook canvases, allowing the material itself to function as both medium and subject. Through this approach, she asserts a new visual language that explores the relationship between garment, body, and memory. Each work carries traces of lived experience, challenging viewers to reconsider the cultural symbolism of hosiery beyond fashion and into the realm of historical and emotional artifacts.
Kaplan’s practice interrogates the cyclical nature of gender roles, beauty standards, and labor expectations placed upon women. By referencing hosiery as a marker of conformity, autonomy, performance, and resistance, her work bridges contemporary feminist discourse with the historical lineage of fashion in fine art. The tension between fragility and strength inherent in nylon material mirrors the complexities of identity and embodiment that underpin her conceptual framework. A graduate of Naropa University’s Bachelor of Arts in Visual Art program, founded by artist Alex Grey, Kaplan has pursued a multidisciplinary approach informed by both spiritual inquiry and material innovation. She will soon begin graduate studies at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, where she will pursue a Master’s degree in Art Business, further expanding her engagement with the global art market while continuing to evolve her groundbreaking fiber practice.
Website: lucinevisions.art/portfolio
IG: @lucinevisions
