British sculptor Debbie Lawson brings her incredible work to New York with a solo exhibition at Sargent's Daughters. Hidden Territories features Lawson's signature sculptures of wildlife cloaked in carpets, including work created for a recent site-specific installation at Rockefeller Center. Merging the natural world with an item from domestic spaces, Lawson's surreal sculptures are hypnotic.
In some cases, her animals appear to emerge from within the carpet hanging on a wall, thanks to a trompe-l’oeil effect. The emergence of these animals gives the sculptures dynamism, as the animals almost appear to leap from the surface. In other instances, the animals are completely freestanding. Placed on a carpet in the same pattern, their ornate coverings allow us to appreciate the shapes and forms of this wildlife.
“Sometimes my work is inspired by the hidden life of everyday objects, and other times by what I see as the aspirational side, or the rebellious side,” she shares.
Lawson's selection of Persian rugs as a textile is rife with meaning. Synonymous with luxury, they are filled with rich history and symbolism. Yet, at the same time, as they belong in a domestic space, they are often discounted as a piece of art. By using these textiles in her sculpture, she helps elevate them into the fine art realm.
Hidden Territories is currently on show at Sargent's Daughters in New York City until March 9, 2024.
Artist Debbie Lawson is known for her illusionistic sculptures of wildlife covered in Persian carpets.
Sometimes, animals appear to emerge from within the carpets in a stunning trompe-l’oeil effect.
Lawson's solo show Hidden Territories is currently on display at Sargent's Daughters in New York City until March 9, 2024.
Debbie Lawson: Website | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Sargent's Daughters.
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