The challenge posed by this space installation was to translate the world of a literary text from words on a page into a three-dimensional installation, staying as true as possible to the information provided by the source. This required a close reading for the details, images, and descriptions the writer used to evoke the book’s atmosphere, as well as consideration of how to represent and/or select from the work’s multiple settings, the passage of time and changes in atmosphere.

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The installation Nana is a visual interpretation of the epynounmous novel by Émile Zola. Nana was a Parisian prostitute of the late 19th century that lured men and accumulated their money until each was financially 

financially ruined. Ultimately her youth and beauty decayed which resulted in her personal downfall.

 

The shape that formed the silhouette was composed of the pages from the novel. Graphic collages with curated imagery highlighted key moments of Nana's life throughout the book. The imagery in the top portion of the dress focused on her golden years while the imagery in the bottom of

the dress depicted her struggles and downfall. She was often described

as a plague, so the usage of paper flies were introduced as part of the installation to represent the men she attracted, while also conveying how flies are attracted to decomposing matters; Nana herself.