At The Development Gallery in TriBeCa, multi-disciplinary artist Jennifer Elster invites visitors into her personal archive with a provocative, immersive exhibition titled “The Classics.”

The retrospective features pieces from Elster’s early styling work with David Bowie and Trent Reznor and lyrics she wrote for Yoko Ono to vocalize in Elster’s upcoming film series …In the Woods (and Elsewhere) alongside original paintings, photographs, video installations, and artifacts. It’s more than a look back: The Classics reflects her decades-spanning journey as a third-generation New Yorker with deep emotional undercurrents.

Born in New York and raised as a teenager on the Upper West Side, Elster grew up surrounded by what she describes as a “prickly” environment filled with danger and intensity. From age 12 to 18, she experienced the city through the eyes of a blossoming artist: absorbing, imagining, creating. Her connection to New York isn’t just cultural, it’s cellular.

“New York has been completely informative with all of my work. It’s who I am. It’s how I express myself.”

Elster’s refusal to conform to one discipline has been key to her evolution. From film to painting to styling to performance, her path has been one of raw exploration, driven more by instinct than formal training. “I’m kind of self-trained in everything,” she says. “It just came to me.”

Styling Legends: Bowie, Trent, and a Room of Icons

At the heart of The Classics are some of Elster’s most iconic styling pieces: a hand-cut serrated piece worn by David Bowie as the character Ramona A. Stone during a photo shoot for 1. Outside, and haunting costumes worn by Trent Reznor for Ray Gun and Rolling Stone shoots. Other pieces include the collared shirt worn by Bowie as Detective Nathan Adler, the dress worn by Bowie as Baby Grace, and a blazer he wore as shop owner Algeria Touchshriek–all characters featured in the narrative of 1. Outside. These pieces sit among her installations like sacred relics, charged with memory.

Her collaboration with Bowie began through photographer John Scarisbrick. They clicked immediately, bonding over character concepts and creative ideas. The process focused on building characters more than picking outfits—Bowie was playful and open to exploration.

“We had a natural rapport… he was so much fun to explore things with.”

Elster’s work with Trent Reznor took place over multiple sessions, some in New Orleans and another in Los Angeles. She recalls a shared sensitivity.

“There was a distinct intensity on the photoshoots with Trent. We are both highly sensitive people.”

The resulting pieces, now part of the exhibition, feel like moments captured in time—visually striking and layered with meaning.

The Unexpected Star: A Cassette Tape and Other Fragments

Surprisingly, the piece Elster feels most connected to isn’t from a rock legend’s closet. It’s a worn Bob Dylan cassette tape, an object with deep personal meaning, the last gift her father gave her before he passed away. It was rediscovered by a close friend who came across it unexpectedly and brought it to her attention. That moment stirred up memories Elster hadn’t revisited in years.

Its presence in the exhibit is quiet but powerful, a reminder of how music and memory are deeply intertwined.

“This exhibition helped me leave the doomy stuff behind… It’s always been my therapy.”

Still, she admits she’s attached to everything in the space—the paintings, the serrated Ramona piece, the layered photo prints. Visitors often take their time wandering, noticing small details.

Curating The Classics helped her recognize a recurring darkness in her work.

The Future: From TriBeCa to the Woods

Though The Classics ends soon, Elster isn’t slowing down. Her next move is …Into the Woods (and elsewhere), a film series she says will fully consume her creative world.

She also mentioned the possibility of parts of The Classics installation continuing in other forms. “There are possibilities for parts of this installation to also move on,” she said.

While details remain open-ended, Elster seems energized by what’s next and ready to shift her focus into a new creative phase.

More Than a Retrospective

For Elster, The Classics isn’t just a curated timeline—it’s a living document. A mix of nostalgia, grit, artistry, and humor. From her early freestyle dancing days to major shoots with Redman, Chris Cornell, and Chloe Sevigny, every piece in the room holds a story.

“I’ve always been like this… Even as a little kid, I was putting on plays around sleeping people.”

And that imaginative spirit? It never left. It just evolved. The Classics is on display until June 20th at The Development Gallery, 75 Leonard St., New York, NY. For updates on future projects, visit ChannelELSTER.com The Development Gallery @JenniferElster