Lydia Maria Pfeffer
How Art Changed Painter Lydia Maria Pfeffer
December 18, 2024
All Arts
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LYDIA MARIA PFEFFER
Lydia Maria Pfeffer mines a cross section of psychological strategies, cultural symbolism, rites, and rituals as she draws and paints worlds in which escapism is revelation and queerness is a healing journey. Anthropomorphism, gender play, and eroticism abound amidst a morphing cast of Pfeffer’s stylish characters inspired by the fables, folk tales, and mythologies of her youth. At the core of every painting is a basic desire for love and belonging—Pfeffer pulls her figures from the ether, creating safe spaces for them to tell their tales, process their traumas, and heal.
Pfeffer (b. 1976, Austria) received her BFA from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Pfeffer’s work has been exhibited internationally at venues including Galerie Droste in Paris, France and Wuppertal, Germany; Brand Library & Art Center in Glendale, CA; Club Pro, New Image Art Gallery, and OCHI in Los Angeles; and Center on Halsted, Chicago, IL. Pfeffer’s work has been featured in publications including AUTRE, Hyperallergic, Los Angeles Times, Flaunt Magazine, Paper City Magazine, Amadeus, Full Blede, and Fabrik. Pfeffer currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.
Featured Works
CV
LYDIA MARIA PFEFFER
Born 1976 in Austria
Lives and works in Brooklyn, NY
EDUCATION
2016
MFA Painting, School of the Art Institute Chicago, Chicago, IL
2013
BFA, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025
Solo Show,
OCHI, Los Angeles, CA (forthcoming)
2024
a loving kind of dream,
Dinner Gallery, New York, NY
2023
Love Magic,
Galerie Droste, Paris, France
2022
Lily of the Valley,
OCHI, Los Angeles, CA
2021
Wild Heart,
Galerie Droste, Paris, France
2019
Venus in Pisces,
OCHI, Los Angeles, CA
2018
Shapeshifter,
Club Pro, Los Angeles, CA
2016
Candy Tales of Blows and Kisses,
Center on Halsted, Chicago, IL
2010
Folk- and Fairytales,
La Barra Broome Street, New York, NY
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
Spring Flowers,
OCHI, Sun Valley, ID
2023
Chronicles 7,
Gallery Droste at KPM Berlin, Germany
Point de Vue,
COPYRIGHT Berlin, Berlin, Germany
2022
Nightshift Delights,
Gallery X Chiao, Taipei, Taiwan
Somebody, Nobody, Anybody,
Marquee Projects, Bellport, NY
Grand Opening,
Galerie Droste, Paris, France
2021
Expanded Field,
OCHI, Los Angeles, CA
Chronicles 3,
Galerie Droste, Berlin, Germany
See Saw,
These Days, Los Angeles, CA
Garden,
Ladies’ Room, Los Angeles, CA
Humans,
Deli Grocery, New York, NY
2020
Four x Five,
Dallas Art Fair, presented by Galerie Droste, Dallas, TX
Halloween,
Saint Laurent Rive Droite with Jeffery Deitch, Los Angeles, CA
WATCHLIST,
Galerie Droste, Paris, France
HUMAN IS A FIVE LETTER WORD,
Galerie Droste, Wuppertal, Germany
NADA,
presented by OCHI, Los Angeles, CA
Heads or Tail,
OCHI, Los Angeles, CA
Somethin’ Else,
Chuck Arnoldi Studio, Venice, CA
2019
The Store Show,
ODD ARK LA, Los Angeles, CA
Fiction follows Form,
LAMC, Los Angeles, CA
Celestial Season,
0.0-LA, Los Angeles, CA
Summertime Sadness,
PØST Kamikaze at MiM Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Parallels to a Fictional Universe,
L'Oiseau presente & Botschaft, Berlin, Germany
Second Round,
Equilateral Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2018
Best in Show,
That That Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Ghosts of Electricity,
Smoke the Moon, Los Angeles, CA
Garden Variety,
The Brand Library & Art Center, Glendale, CA
Radiant,
Big City Forum at Blue Roof Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Art Los Angeles Contemporary,
presented by Club Pro, Los Angeles, CA
Tiny Men on Tits and Friends,
Chimento Contemporary, Los Angeles, CA
Fresh Start,
LAVA Projects, Los Angeles, CA
2018
Does it Make a Sound,
OCHI, Ketchum, ID
Friends, Do Not Fear,
New Image Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Fire Season,
Club Pro at MAUVE, Vienna, Austria
Layer Cake,
Zolla/Lieberman, Chicago, IL
Animal Farm,
Dalton Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA
2015
Let There Be Light,
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, McLean Building, Chicago, IL
Emerging Artists,
Urban Edge Gallery, Waukegan, IL
2014
Yonkers Art Weekend,
i-Pad Building, Yonkers, NY
Be Yourself At Any Age,
BRAC, Bronx, NY
Senses,
Torche Gallery, New York, NY
Anniversary Exhibition,
Torche Gallery, Belmar, NJ
2013
Fall Exhibition,
Torche Gallery, Belmar, NJ
The Grand Opening Exhibition,
Torche Gallery, Belmar, NJ
Six Summit Gallery,
Hotel Chantelle, New York, NY
The Thrift Show,
The Paper Box, Brooklyn, NY
2011
Kunsthoehle,
Il Bastardo, New York, NY
Art for Soul: Kenya,
Gallery Bar, New York, NY
Framework,
M55, Long Island City, NY
Group Show,
Deeptanks Studio, Staten Island, NY
Art for Soul: Japan Relief Exhibition,
AGallery, New York, NY
AWARDS & RESIDENCIES
2019
OCHI Artist Residency, Sun Valley, Idaho
2016
Toby Devan Lewis Fellowship, School of the Art Institute Chicago, Chicago, IL
2013
Frank Shapiro Award Recipient, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY
2012
Frank Shapiro Award Recipient, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY
LECTURES & EXPERIENCES
2021
Guest Speaker, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY
2019
Visiting Artist, Los Angeles Mission College, Sylmar, CA
Visiting Artist, Syracuse University Turner Residency, San Pedro, CA
2017
Women Under The Influence, Nicodim Gallery, Idylwild, CA
Teaching Assistant, School of the Art Institute Chicago, Chicago, IL
Visiting Artist, University of California Los Angeles, Advanced Painting, Los Angeles, CA
2013
Guest Speaker, Bushwick Art Critique Group, Brooklyn, NY
2012
Urban Studio, President, NY
Founding Director / Curator / Studio Manager, Dalton Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2023
Norton, Barbara. “Lydia Maria Pfeffer Examines the Mythologies that Populate the Subconscious in ‘Love Magic’ @ Galerie Droste in Paris," AUTRE, Aug. 8
Régent, Mathilde. “The ‘Love Magic’ exhibition or the creation of an ideal tailor-made universe," Harper’s Bazaar France, Jun. 29
Cuxac, Anna. “Paris: The carnival paintings of Lydia Maria Pfeffer arrive at the Galerie Droste," Causette, Jun. 16
2022
Hall, Trulee. “Lydia Maria Pfeffer & Trulee Hall in Conversation: The Earth as Deity," AUTRE, Spring / Summer
Allado-McDowell, K., Amor Cringe, Pub: Deluge Books, Apr. 12
Remenchik, Jennifer. “Lydia Maria Pfeffer’s World of Fertility, Abundance, and Play," Hyperallergic, Apr. 18
Preston Zappas, Lindsay. “Lydia Maria Pfeffer at OCHI," KCRW Art Insider, Mar. 30
2021
Behnke, Paul. “Santa Fe: High Desert High! At Smoke the Moon," Structure and Imagery, Jul. 12
Robinson, Roxanne. “Saint Laurent Gets In The Halloween Spirit," Editorialist, Mar. 30
“Halloween, But Make It Saint Laurent," ICON, Mar.
Stromberg, Matt. “Opening in South Central LA, Tlaloc Studios Hopes to Be a Resource for the Community," Hyperallergic, Mar. 26
Bowie, Summer. “Garden Group Show Features More Than 100 Female & Non-Binary Artists @ Ladies’ Room in Los Angeles," AUTRE, Mar. 11
2020
Raez, Constanza Falco. “Saint Laurent Rive Droite / Halloween Capsule," FLAUNT, Oct. 30
Pernet, Diane. “Saint Laurent Halloween: Lydia Maria Pfeffer," A Shaded View on Fashion, Oct. 29
Anspon, Catherine D. “Dallas Art Fair and New Online Marketplace Innovate with In-Person / Virtual Fair Combo," Paper City Magazine,, Oct. 28
Handler, Ben Lee Ritchie. “Artist Visit: Lydia Maria Pfeffer," Gallery Platform Los Angeles, Aug. 11
VanDerBeek, Sara. “Sara VanDerBeek on Her Favorite Artworks from Week 3 of FAIR," New Art Dealers Alliance
2019
Hsieh, Joanne. “Artist Interview: Shape Shifter Lydia Maria Pfeffer," Ciao x Art, Nov. 21
Khatchadourian, Alex. “Magnificent Visions of Rebellion: Lydia Maria Pfeffer Introduces Us to Her Mythological Cast of Characters," Amadeus, Oct. 22
Vergara, Rayan. “Lydia Maria Pfeffer," Wall Street International, Mar. 13
Baumann, Sacha. “The Continuant," Full Blede, Iss. 7, Jan.
2018
Davis, Genie. “Garden Variety, Growing Great Art at the Brand," Art & Cake, Feb. 23
Abrahams, Megan. “The Barker Hangar, Santa Monica: Art Los Angeles Contemporary 2018 Wrap-up," Fabrik Magazine, Jan. 25
Landa, Jeff. “Brand Library & Art Center exhibit explores time with ‘Garden Variety,’", Los Angeles Times, Jan. 23
News
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Lydia Maria Pfeffer
Lydia Maria Pfeffer Examines the Mythologies That Populate the Subconscious
AUTRE
August 8, 2023
LINK -
Lydia Maria Pfeffer
L’exposition “Love Magic” ou la création d’un univers idéal sur-mesure
Harper’s Bazaar France
June 29, 2023
LINK -
Lydia Marie Pfeffer
Nightshift Delights: Group Show
Chiao x Art
November 5 – December 4, 2022
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Lydia Maria Pfeffer
Group Show: Somebody, Nobody, Anybody
Marquee Projects
July 2 – August 7, 2022
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Lydia Maria Pfeffer
Lydia Maria Pfeffer’s World of
Fertility, Abundance, and Play
Hyperallergic
April 18, 2022
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Lydia Maria Pfeffer
Lydia Maria Pfeffer at OCHI
KCRW Events
March 30, 2022
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Lydia Maria Pfeffer
Artists Lydia Maria Pfeffer
and Trulee Hall share their techniques
in queering the phantasmagorical,
mythological, & biblical
AUTRE
Spring/Summer 2022
LINK