The Salting The Earth: Archive Print Dress transforms one of Gianni Lee’s most meaningful artworks into a sculptural, wearable form. Built from a tooled mesh material, the dress carries the layered textures, color shifts, and atmospheric energy of the original painting—merging fine art with fashion in a way that moves with the body.
Based on Salting The Earth (2022), a 5 × 5 ft acrylic and spray-paint canvas, this release extends the life of the painting beyond the gallery wall and into daily ritual, motion, and presence.
Inspired by the Original Artwork
The dress features a full-surface print derived from the painting Salting The Earth, created in 2022. The original work is currently on continuous display at the Arts and Sciences Resource Center in Watts, California, as part of The Better Watts Initiative—a project dedicated to connecting environmental research and community storytelling through the arts.
This garment carries that same narrative forward, allowing the artwork to be experienced in public space, in motion, and in conversation.
Tooled Mesh Construction
Crafted from premium tooled mesh, the dress offers:
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A soft, breathable, sculpted fit
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A lightweight silhouette that drapes but holds form
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Subtle texture that enhances the printed artwork
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Stretch and durability for consistent, comfortable wear
The tooled mesh becomes a new kind of canvas—one that adds dimension and tactility to the artwork’s translation.
Wearable Art
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High-resolution archival print directly from the 2022 painting
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Artwork wraps seamlessly across the mesh for uninterrupted imagery
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Designed as a living extension of the painting—art that moves, reshapes, and recontextualizes itself with each wear
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Functions as both a fashion piece and a collectible design object
Cultural & Exhibition Context
Salting The Earth addresses themes of environmental strain, reclamation, and transformation. Within the Better Watts Initiative, the painting stands as a symbol of community resilience and environmental justice.
This Archive Print Dress continues that narrative, carrying the story from Watts into the broader world—turning the wearer into part of the artwork’s ongoing evolution.
Archive Edition
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Limited archive release
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Directly tied to the lineage, exhibition history, and meaning of the original 2022 painting
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Includes provenance details referencing its placement within the Better Watts Initiative
