Lily Ludlow

Lily Ludlow (b. 1970, Los Angeles, CA) makes paintings that are a mixture of figuration and machine-like curvilinear shapes that either fit together comfortably or jostle against each other and the confines of the painting’s boundaries.

The arabesques and tender grace notes allude to dance; the isolation of a moment in time or a focus on specific gesture signify Ludlow’s deeply felt reality. Heavily worked, each piece becomes a tool for insight and understanding as the painter refines the position of a leg or stylized torso, gradually moving towards a sense of activated stasis.

Artist: Studio

"I like to study the movement of things. If I draw, I like the way a line curves; if I’m making a piece of clothing, it’s about the way it will drape or move."

Artworks

Lily Ludlow,

Deirdre,

2024,

Acrylic and chalk on canvas,

40 × 40 in (101.6 × 101.6 cm)

Lily Ludlow,

Mitte and Henry,

2024,

Acrylic and chalk on canvas,

12 × 10 in (30.48 × 25.4 cm)

Lily Ludlow,

The Calliopes,

2023,

30 × 24 in (76.2 × 60.96 cm)

Acrylic and colored pencil on canvas

Lily Ludlow,

Crocus,

2023,

12 × 9 in (30.48 × 22.86 cm)

Acrylic and colored pencil on canvas

Lily Ludlow,

Untitled,

2017,

15 × 12 in (38.1 × 30.48 cm)

Pencil, graphite, acrylic on paper

 

Lily Ludlow,

Daphne,

2023,

12 × 9 in (30.48 × 22.86 cm)

Acrylic and colored pencil on canvas

 

Lily Ludlow,

Anemone,

2023,

12 × 9 in (30.48 × 22.86 cm)

Acrylic and colored pencil on canvas

 

Lily Ludlow,

Witnesses,

2019,

40 × 40 in (101.6 × 101.6 cm)

Acrylic and colored pencil on panel

Lily Ludlow,

Fleur Jaune,

2019,

27 × 20 in (68.58 × 50.8 cm)

Acrylic and colored pencil on canvas over panel

Lily Ludlow,

Nanette,

2018,

27 ½ × 20 in (69.85 × 50.8 cm)

Acrylic on panel

Lily Ludlow,

Dicentra Spectabilis,

2018,

27 ½ × 20 in (69.85 × 50.8 cm)

Acrylic on panel

Lily Ludlow,

Untitled,

2018,

27 ½ × 20 in (69.85 × 50.8 cm)

Acrylic on panel

Lily Ludlow,

Rebecca,

2017,

27 × 29 in (68.58 × 73.66 cm)

Acrylic on panel

Lily Ludlow,

Rebekah,

2017,

27 × 20 in (68.58 × 50.8 cm)

Acrylic on panel

Lily Ludlow,

Rebeca,

2017,

27 × 20 in (68.58 × 50.8 cm)

Acrylic on panel

Lily Ludlow,

Untitled,

2017,

15 × 12 in (38.1 × 30.48 cm)

Pencil, graphite, acrylic on paper

Lily Ludlow,

Untitled,

2017,

15 × 12 in (38.1 × 30.48 cm)

Pencil, graphite, acrylic on paper

Lily Ludlow,

Untitled,

2017,

15 × 12 in (38.1 × 30.48 cm)

Pencil, graphite, acrylic on paper

Lily Ludlow,

Untitled,

2017,

15 × 12 in (38.1 × 30.48 cm)

Pencil, graphite, acrylic on paper

Lily Ludlow,

Untitled,

2017,

15 × 12 in (38.1 × 30.48 cm)

Pencil, graphite, acrylic on paper

Lily Ludlow,

Untitled,

2016,

48 × 40 in (121.92 × 101.60 cm)

Acrylic, chalk, and graphite on panel

Lily Ludlow,

Untitled,

2014,

8 × 10 in (20.32 × 25.4 cm)

Acrylic on canvas

Lily Ludlow,

Untitled 7,

2011,

22 × 28 in (55.88 × 71.12 cm)

Acrylic and graphite on canvas

Lily Ludlow,

Untitled,

2011,

16 × 20 in (40.64 × 50.8 cm)

Acrylic and graphite on canvas

Lily Ludlow,

Faint Order of Sisters,

2010,

12 × 16 in (30.48 × 40.64 cm)

Acrylic and graphite on canvas

Lily Ludlow,

Bettina,

2009,

20 × 16 in (50.80 × 40.64 cm)

Acrylic and graphite on canvas

Lily Ludlow,

Inextricable,

2010,

9 × 12 in (22.86 × 30.48 cm)

Acrylic and graphite on canvas

Lily Ludlow,

Lavender,

2009,

18 × 14 in (45.72 × 35.56 cm)

Acrylic and graphite on Canvas

Lily Ludlow,

None of Us Could Bear to Look,

2009,

20 × 16 in (50.8 × 40.64 cm)

Graphite, gesso and pencil on canvas

Installation Views

Installation view, Lily Ludlow, CANADA, 2017

Exhibitions

Lily Ludlow, Solo Exhibition, Nov 22 – Jan 11, 2025
Lily Ludlow, New Paintings, Aug 19 – Sep 23, 2023
Lily Ludlow, New Paintings, Nov 9 – Dec 14, 2019
Lily Ludlow, New Work, Sep 9 – Oct 8, 2017
Lily Ludlow, Pareidolia, Nov 13 – Dec 7, 2014
Lily Ludlow, Ten for Aidas, Oct 28 – Dec 4, 2011
Lily Ludlow, Sowing Circle, Dec 12 – Jan 18, 2009
Lily Ludlow, Every Flinching Atom of Flesh Must Be Flayed, Apr 6 – May 13, 2007
Lily Ludlow and Stephen Ellwood, New work, Mar 15 – Apr 20, 2003

Press

"Make Painting Great Again." The New Yorker June 29, 2016

Phil Grauer "Lily Ludlow Interview by Phil Grauer." The Journal October 13, 2013

Lucy Madison "Circle of Friends." Interview Magazine December 10, 2010

Lauren Cross "Profile: Open Intimacy." Tokion October 30, 2009

Vogue Greece May, 2009

Roberta Smith "Lily Ludlow and Allen Cordell: "Sowing Circle"." The New York Times January 9, 2009

"Artist Multiple." North Drive Press (NDP#5) January 1, 2009

Lucy Madison "Art Film by Lily Ludlow and Allen Cordenn." Interview Magazine December/January, 2008

Jonathan T.D. Neil "Lily Ludlow: Every Flinching Atom of Flesh Must Be Flayed." ArtReview June, 2007

"Lily Ludlow." Nylon June, 2007

Holland Cotter "Lily Ludlow." The New York Times May 4, 2007

Paper Magazine March, 2007

Christopher Spinelli "Fashion is an Art Victim." whitewall Fall, 2006

Jane Magazine 2006, January

Vouge December, 2005

Roberta Smith "Art Review: Fanciful to Figurative To Wryly Inscrutable." The New York Times July 29, 2005

Holland Cotter "Devendra Banhart, Lily Ludlow, Elena Pankova." The New York Times July 9, 2004

"Newyorkster." Nylon July, 2004

CV

Lily Ludlow

b. 1970, Los Angeles, CA

Lives and works in Port Chester, NY

  • Selected Solo Exhibitions

    • 2023

      New Paintings, CANADA, East Hampton, NY

    • 2019

      New Paintings, CANADA, New York, NY

    • 2017

      Lily Ludlow, CANADA, New York, NY

    • 2014

      Pareidolia, CANADA, New York, NY

    • 2012

      Lily Ludlow, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago, IL

    • 2011

      Ten for Aidas, CANADA, New York, NY

    • 2009

      Lily Ludlow, Rebecca Camhi Gallery, Athens, Greece

    • 2008

      Sowing Circle, CANADA, New York, NY

    • 2007

      Every Flinching Atom of Flesh Must Be Flayed, CANADA, New York, NY

    • 2006

      CSV, New York, NY

    • 2004

      The Somnus Collection 2005, CANADA, New York, NY

  • Selected Group Exhibitions

    • 2024

      Joan Snyder, Lily Ludlow, Mimi Lauter, & Xylor Jane, CANADA, New York, NY

    • 2023

      Canada on Paper, CANADA, East Hampton, NY

      Safe Space, Rebecca Camhi Gallery, Athens, Greece

    • 2021

      The Thick Stream, CANADA, New York, NY

    • 2019

      CANADA b/w Drag City, Soccer Club Club, Chicago, IL

    • 2018

      Faces | People, Rebecca Camhi Gallery, Athens, Greece

    • 2017

      To Speak of Trees, Minnesota Street Project, San Francisco, CA

      Drawing Island, The Journal Gallery, Brooklyn, NY