Lawrence in their studio
Gracelee Lawrence (they/she) makes work that tests the interplay between the intersections of food, the body, and technology, occupying the transfigurative space between physical and digital realities. Manipulating their body by merging it with edible plants through 3D scanning and software manipulation, their sculptures investigate the gendered and fragmented nature of bodies while navigating the ecological and ethical complexities of bioplastics, particularly those derived from GMO corn. Their work questions sustainability narratives, industrial agriculture, and the compartmentalization of digital and physical spaces, all while staying grounded in materiality.
Lawrence has attended 20 residencies worldwide and debuted their second solo show in New York at Postmasters in June 2022, earning a glowing review by Roberta Smith in The New York Times. They are the Head of Sculpture at the University at Albany, SUNY, with recent exhibitions at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Wasserman Projects, and CHART. Their large-scale outdoor sculptures have been installed at Wave Hill, Franconia Sculpture Park, and other venues. A member of the MATERIAL GIRLS collective, they are a recipient of the 2024 Dr. Nuala McGann Drescher Leave, a 2019 Jerome Fellowship, and a 2016–17 Luce Scholarship. Press highlights include The New York Times, The New Yorker, Hyperallergic, The Creative Independent, and MAAKE Magazine. Outside of their art, they are a dedicated dancer, lifelong horse person, and avid gardener.