THREADS OF TIME
A DIALOGUE BETWEEN EMBROIDERY & PHOTOGRAPHY
ATELIER LEBUISSON x ROBERT FARBER
April - August 2025 | Noho, New York
The Selects Gallery presents Threads of Time, an exceptional exhibition uniting the creative visions of iconic American fashion photographer Robert Farber and Delphine Nobili, founder of Atelier Lebuisson, a Parisian textile studio specializing in haute couture embroidery.
At its heart are three works from Farber’s Wet Series, printed on canvas, and reimagined through the art of hand embroidery by Atelier Lebuisson in France. Carefully selected for their symbolic resonance, these dreamlike photographs—featuring a diner, a cowboy, and an American flag—each represent a defining aspect of American culture. Originally part of the American Mood series, they took on a new life after an unexpected flood in Farber’s New York studio altered their hues, imbuing them with a delicate, watercolor-like quality.
Through this collaboration, Farber and Nobili explore a third life for these images, offering a poetic reflection on time, resilience, and the unexpected beauty found in life’s cycles and chance encounters.
Delphine Nobili brings her mastery of textile embellishment to Farber’s painterly photographs, infusing them with intricate, tactile depth through a variety of techniques: Metallic and vinyl materials evoke the nostalgic sheen of American diners, natural fibers echo the rugged essence of the American West, and delicate stitching enhances the flowing grace of an American flag, lending it an ethereal softness.
The exhibition is further enriched with two Polaroids, two original Wet Series pieces by Robert Farber, and an album showcasing Atelier Lebuisson’s unique French savoir-faire and projects with renowned fashion houses like LVMH.
Threads of Time weaves an inspiring cross-cultural dialogue between photography and embroidery, uniting a masculine American eye with a feminine French hand, and redefining the boundaries of art collaboration.
THE ARTISTS
ROBERT FARBER, American Photographer
Based in New York
DELPHINE NOBILI, Founder Atelier Lebuisson
Based in Paris
01 DINER
32x22 | Printed and hand-signed by Robert Farber
Materials & Techniques:
This photograph is hand-embroidered by Atelier Lebuisson with silk and cotton threads (stem stitch, French knots, satin stitch), hand-painted organza fabrics and a vinyl finish.
Framing:
A black and gold frame is planned for this artwork, reminiscent of classical paintings, reinforcing Robert Farber’s painterly aesthetic. The frame’s timeworn finish echoes the themes of serendipity, chance, and the passage of time.
Close-ups | Threads of Time, Diner, 2025 - Robert Farber x Atelier Lebuisson:
On April 24th, 2018, Robert Farber’s New York studio was flooded in the middle of the night. While excavating the ruins, he uncovered several catalogues of drenched, non-archival small prints.
After separating dozens of images, Robert discarded the unaffected photos and kept the new abstractions of the originals, thus creating the Wet Series.
This photograph of the Diner, originally part of Farber’s American Mood Series and altered by the flood, was selected for its powerful symbolism of American culture.
02 COWBOY
32x22 | Printed and hand-signed by Robert Farber
Materials & Techniques:
Photograph, hand-embroidered by Atelier Lebuisson with natural wool threads from Aubusson, mohair, silk and cotton threads (Stem stitch and drawn thread work).
Framing:
Black and gold frame, reminiscent of classical paintings, reinforcing Robert Farber’s painterly aesthetic. The frame’s timeworn finish echoes the themes of serendipity, chance, and the passage of time.
Close-ups | Threads of Time, Cowboy, 2025 - Robert Farber x Atelier Lebuisson:
This photograph of the Cowboy was also part of Farber’s Wet Series–originally part of Farber’s American Mood Series and altered by the flood–and was selected as another symbol of the American culture.
03 AMERICAN FLAG
22x28 | Printed and hand-signed by Robert Farber
Materials & Techniques:
Fabric manipulation and hand embroidery by Atelier Lebuisson on the photograph with layered tulle gathered for volume and embellished with glass beads. The embroidery creates a striking illusion of movement, making the piece appear to float.
Framing:
This effect is further amplified by the framing technique—crafted to create a subtle undulating effect—set within a deep, light wood frame that enhances the sense of dimension. Moreover, the frame’s timeworn finish echoes the themes of serendipity, chance, and the passage of time.
Close-ups | Threads of Time, American Flag, 2025 - Robert Farber x Atelier Lebuisson:
This image of the American Flag, also part of Farber’s Wet Series, was selected as a striking final piece of this exhibition on American symbols.
Wet Series American Flag, 2018 - Original Work by Robert Farber
WET SERIES & POLAROIDS
The exhibition is further enriched with two Polaroids and two original Wet Series pieces by Robert Farber, reflecting his fascination with time, serendipity, and the ever-evolving nature of his photographs.
ATELIER LEBUISSON’S EXCEPTIONAL SAVOIR-FAIRE
An album specially created for the exhibition presents the exceptional savoir-faire of Delphine Nobili and her team. Designed as a sketchbook, it features embroidery samples and highlights the studio’s collaborations with renowned fashion houses.
Atelier Lebuisson’s team
Dior Couture SS 2025
BEHIND THE SCENES
