American artist and designer Liam Lee opens his first solo exhibition, Catch and Release, this month at New York’s Patrick Parrish Gallery (until 4 August 2023). As well as showcasing reworkings of his felt furniture and tapestries, Lee will also unveil glazed ceramics, crocheted wire light sculptures and works on paper for the first time.
‘In my work, I try to create work that feels – upon first encounter – as if it sprung up from the ground overnight or has grown into its current state without human intervention,’ says Lee of his work, which cuts striking and surreal silhouettes, subverting both traditional concepts and established design codes.
Featured works in the exhibition, including tapestries, mirrors, light sculptures, ceramic objects and woollen chairs, build on the fantastical forms Lee is celebrated for. Here, the introduction of new textures and techniques continues a playful mystification while also nodding to a childlike sense of wonder, resulting in pieces inspired by the mystery of the ocean.
‘Despite growing up as a city kid with an apparent lack of greenery around me, the natural world continues to occupy a sort of magical space through its physical separateness from what I generally experience on a daily basis. This notion of an untouched ‘natural’ world, or distinction between the natural and the man-made is of course a human construct, and it’s exactly this romanticised or imaginary version of the natural that I’m drawn to,’ Lee adds.
‘I am thrilled to present Liam Lee's inaugural solo exhibition,’ says gallerist Patrick Parrish. ‘Wielding innovative materials and techniques, Liam's work in felt, ceramic, and metal challenges our perceptions of form and surface. His pieces are a striking blend of art and design that push the boundaries of traditional sculpture and furniture making.’
‘Catch and Release’ is on view until 4 August 2023
50 Lispenard StNew York, NY 10013
-
Wild sauna, anyone? The ultimate guide to exploring deep heat in the UK outdoors‘Wild Sauna’, a new book exploring the finest outdoor establishments for the ultimate deep-heat experience in the UK, has hit the shelves; we find out more about the growing trend
-
Highlights from the transporting Cruise 2026 showsThe Cruise 2026 season began yesterday with a Chanel show at Lake Como, heralding the start of a series of jet-setting, destination runway shows from fashion’s biggest houses
-
Behind the design of national pavilions in Venice: three studios to knowDesigning the British, Swiss and Mexican national pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 are three outstanding studios to know before you go
-
Ludmilla Balkis’ organic, earthy ceramics embody the Basque countrysideThe sculptor-ceramicist presents a series inspired by and created from found natural objects in a New York exhibition
-
Designer Danny Kaplan’s Manhattan showroom is also his apartment: the live-work space reimaginedDanny Kaplan’s Manhattan apartment is an extension of his new showroom, itself laid out like a home; he invites us in, including a first look at his private quarters
-
New Superhouse show captures the rebellious spirit of Dan Friedman’s Manhattan apartmentIn the late 1970s, graphic designer and artist Dan Friedman transformed his apartment into a Day-Glo laboratory of ideas. Now, a new exhibition at Superhouse in New York revisits his vibrant, rebellious world
-
Design practice Astraeus Clarke is inspired by cinema to tell a story and evoke an emotionIn a rapidly changing world, the route designers take to discover their calling is increasingly circuitous. Here we speak to Chelsie and Jacob Starley the creative duo behind Astraeus Clarke
-
Hella Jongerius’ ‘Angry Animals’ take a humorous and poignant bite out of the climate crisisAt Salon 94 Design in New York, Hella Jongerius presents animal ceramics, ‘Bead Tables’ and experimental ‘Textile Studies’ – three series that challenge traditional ideas about function, craft, and narrative
-
One to Watch: designer Valerie Name infuses contemporary objects and spaces with historical detailFrom vessels to furnishings and interiors, New York- and Athens-based designer Valerie Name finds new relevance for age-old craft techniques
-
First look: Matthew Fisher opens the doors to his first gallery in ManhattanHistory, design, and environmental consciousness converge at M. Fisher in New York City, offering an experience that is as meaningful as it is visually striking
-
Cooper Hewitt’s ‘Making Home’ triennial reveals an intimate side of the museum’s Gilded Age architecture'We live and work in the Carnegie Mansion, but it's not typically something that we engage with directly in our exhibitions,' says Alexandra Cunningham-Cameron, one of the co-curators
