Liam Lee celebrates fantastical forms in first New York solo exhibition
Liam Lee exhibition, ‘Catch and Release’, has now opened at New York’s Patrick Parrish Gallery (until 4 August 2023) and is the first solo show from the American designer

Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Thank you for signing up to Wallpaper. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
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
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Hannah Silver joined Wallpaper* in 2019 to work on watches and jewellery. Now, as well as her role as watches and jewellery editor, she writes widely across all areas including on art, architecture, fashion and design. As well as offbeat design trends and in-depth profiles, Hannah is interested in the quirks of what makes for a digital success story.
-
Tiwa Select opens permanent Tribeca home with a show of new works in Murano glass
Tiwa Select celebrates its permanent New York gallery space with an exhibition of new works by Dana Arbib (until 17 October 2023)
By Pei-Ru Keh Published
-
Giulio Cappellini’s future landscapes: tomorrow’s interiors for flexible living
As Wallpaper* Guest Editor, design legend Giulio Cappellini imagines interiors full of fluidity and freedom, for work and home
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
Jacob Cohën presents new collection by Matthew Adams Dolan in a unique Milanese location – an artist’s studio
The American designer’s first physical presentation for Italian denim brand Jacob Cohën took place in the working studio of Italian artist Luca Pignatelli
By Jack Moss Published
-
Tiwa Select opens permanent Tribeca home with a show of new works in Murano glass
Tiwa Select celebrates its permanent New York gallery space with an exhibition of new works by Dana Arbib (until 17 October 2023)
By Pei-Ru Keh Published
-
Rafael de Cárdenas unveils model residence interiors for Manhattan’s supertall skyscraper
Residence 66 at 111 West 57th Street is a model home inside Manhattan’s supertall skyscraper with views over Central Park
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
A Japanese food-themed retail concept in New York draws on natural materials
50 Norman by Schemata Architects is an eclectic hospitality venture in Brooklyn
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Essx store opens in New York’s Lower East Side
Essx is a new concept and community store by local architecture firm Leong Leong and designer Yossi Shetrit
By Pei-Ru Keh Published
-
Design on Madison Avenue: our guide to the best furniture stores
Madison Avenue has become the must-have New York address for leading design brands. Here, we bring you our guide to its best furniture shopping
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
Mathieu Lehanneur designs light-filled pied-à-terre at Selene New York
Mathieu Lehanneur’s Selene New York apartment unites classic and contemporary design
By Hannah Silver Published
-
New York’s Galerie Was is the latest vintage design destination in the city
Galerie Was is the new Lower East Side space by interior designer Lauren Piscione with chef Allie Fitzpatrick and tech-whiz Andy McCune, offering vintage design with plenty of patina alongside works by contemporary makers
By Julie Baumgardner Published
-
‘Crossroads’ at ICFF 2023: ‘There is room for everyone in American design’
‘At the Crossroads of American Design: Celebrating the Established and Emerging’ is a new exhibition at ICFF 2023 curated by David Rockwell and Wallpaper’s Pei-Ru Keh
By Eva Hagberg Published