Rachel Doniger Takes Her Work To Another Dimension

here’s more than meets the eye when viewing Rachel Doniger‘s paper reliefs–which is exactly what the artist is going for. Beginning with an initial concept, Doniger uses a methodical process to create pieces with various facets. “People viewing my reliefs will stand in front of them for a long time and look,” she says. “There is a lot to see and dissect, and that’s always been my intention.”

Here, we tapped the artist to learn more about her work.

Who do you consider to be an icon of your industry?

It’s hard to choose just one, but I appreciate Agnes Martin’s discipline and quiet aesthetic. I also admire how Constantin Brancusi worked with a variety of materials and made each one sing, and I love Tara Donovan’s innovative use of everyday materials.

I collect…

Art. I’m particularly interested in emerging female artists, almost all of whom–like me–have a background in architecture.

What’s inspiring you now?

Studying the world around me is a constant part of my experience and something I can’t turn off. I’m always asking myself, ‘why does this work’ or ‘how could this be better?’ as I encounter memorable art, objects and spaces.

What is significant about your work?

I think modern society has been shifting towards automation–to being instant, now and fast. In a way,I’m reacting to that. I could probably make similar work on the computer, but I do think it would lose something.

PHOTOS: REBECCA STUMPF