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Stepping Off the Beaten Path of Design: 'Outside/In' Show at Lyle Gallery
Deep in the world of design, feeling left out or excluded is more common than some might wish to admit. Whether it's attending a fancy design event, scrolling through Instagram, or being unable to afford that dreamy chair, the sensation is real. Even industry insiders, such as designers, gallery owners, and yes, editors at design websites, can experience this itch.
Gallery owner Lin Tyrpien and design advocate Jenny Nguyen perfectly understand this irony. Nguyen, the founder of PR agency Hello Human, shares that, "Even if you've been working in an industry for years and years, you can still feel like an outsider." That shared sentiment planted the seeds for the pair’s latest brainchild, the 'Outside/In' show at Tyrpien's gallery—Lyle Gallery—in downtown Manhattan.
The dozen creators on display hail from various mediums, subjects, nationalities, and career stages, all bonding over their mutual sense of being on the fringes of the mainstream design scene. Both curators emphasize their shared mission of representing the underrepresented, providing a platform for designers who may not have previously exhibited in the US or lacked the resources to mount a gallery show.
Submissions for the show were gathered via an Instagram open call, with more than 200 artists, designers, and makers responding. The curators focused on pieces with strong narratives, which resonated with both the makers and the curatorial team. Tanuvi Hegde, a Savannah College of Art & Design furniture design graduate, showcases one such work. Her elegant cherry wood chair, equipped with a steel ball bearing in the armrest that can be rolled for fidget relief, deals with anxiety.
Other pieces focus on the body, such as the gossamer red tapestry by Swati Jain of the NYC-based Unown Space studio, embroidered with electronic wiring and an abstract human silhouette. LA-based Soft-Geometry, an established design duo, presents 'Long Hair' sconces, inspired by the intimate family ritual of braiding hair. Some works celebrate cultural memory, like Clarissa Guzman of Platform Studio's geometric clay candelabra, melding mesoamerican motifs, brutalism, and her Catholic upbringing.
Interestingly, the majority of the contributing creators identify as women, a demographic that represents only 26% of the furniture manufacturing workforce, with even fewer holding leadership positions.
Nguyen acknowledges that being an outsider can be a complicated idea. Even Tyrpien, having founded Lyle Gallery with her partner just a year ago, confesses she sometimes questions whether she should even be doing this. But by shaking up the status quo, the duo hopes to expand their network of kindred spirits and create a welcoming, expansive community that embraces diverse perspectives in design. 'Outside/In' runs from May 13 to June 1, 2025, at Lyle Gallery.
The 'Outside/In' show at Lyle Gallery, running from May 13 to June 1, 2025, showcases diverse creators from various backgrounds, aiming to provide a platform for underrepresented designers in the fashion-and-beauty, home-and-garden, and lifestyle realms. Tanuvi Hegde, one of the participating artists, displays her cherry wood chair incorporating a steel ball bearing for fidget relief, which deals with anxiety, highlighting the lifestyle aspect in her work.
