Night Emperors - Rachel van der Nacht
Black ink on paper
2022

NIGHT EMPERORS is a series of nine giant hand-made illustrations about nightlife, started in 2020, that became viral online and a collaboration with JR in 2021. High-realistic yet fantastical, each piece is a nocturnal scene showcasing bartenders, club owners, patrons, artists, promoters, performers, musicians, consumers, and all the hopeless insomniacs in front of their favorite clubs (Lola, Le Bain, Paul’s Baby Grand, Soho Grand, China Chalet, Et Al, Casablanca, The Box, and Ponyboy). Soho Grand, Baby Grand, and Ponyboy bought some original pieces that are now permanently showcased there. Created in 2022, this piece is the ninth one of the series and gathers all the Night Emperors (more than 500 real people) from all the clubs on the moon.

Rachel van der Nacht is a French Creative Director and Visual Artist based in NYC, best known for the Night Emperors — her giant hand-made illustrations series about New York nightlife that became a collaboration with JR. She works with an array of fashion, luxury, and lifestyle clients, including Adidas, Refinery29, Equinox, Nike, Puma, Livy, the Roxy Hotel, Creatively, Burt’s Bees, and Konbini, to name a few.

She studied literature and philosophy in France and earned an MFA in “Design as an Entrepreneur/Author” at SVA in NYC. She helps brands define their identity by shaping and telling their stories through design and visual arts across all platforms.