Scenes from a Widespread Conspiracy, Suburban, Chicago, 2002
Beyond the Studio

Exhibitions

Solo and group exhibitions, 1977 – 2025.

Solo Exhibitions

  1. 2025Thomas Lawson: Sunny and Warm, a casual survey of work spanning the 30 years from 1995-2025Chez Max et Dorothea, Los Angeles, CA
  2. 2024Thomas Lawson: Too Old Now, a show of new paintingsAF Projects, Los Angeles, CA
  3. 2020Attending to the Bats, a show of new paintingsAF Projects, Los Angeles, CA
  4. 2016Thomas Lawson: a presentation of select works from the 80sArtissima, Milan
  5. 2015Thomas Lawson: New PaintingsKlaus Von Nichtsagend Gallery, New York
  6. 2014Thomas Lawson (Retrospective): DB14Dallas Biennial, Goss-Michael Foundation, Dallas, TX
  7. 2012Thomas Lawson: In The Shadow of the Beast, new paintingsDavid Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
  8. 2009Thomas Lawson: 1977-1987David Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
  9. 2007History/Painting, curated by Lauri FirstenbergLAXART, Los Angeles, CA
  10. 2002Scenes from a Widespread Conspiracy, an installation with paintings and soundSuburban, Chicago
  11. 2001Constructing a World View; reconstructing a JourneySleeper, Edinburgh
  12. 1997Thomas Lawson: Project Wall, new paintingsRosamund Felsen, Los Angeles
  13. 1995Thomas Lawson: Viennese Paintings, a selection of recent paintings curated by Linda NorrisNorwich Gallery, Norwich
  14. Thomas Lawson: New PaintingsAnthony Reynolds Gallery, London
  15. 1992Thomas LawsonSylvie Ferre, Lyon
  16. 1990Thomas Lawson: 1980-1990Third Eye Centre, Glasgow; Battersea Arts Centre, London
  17. 1989Metro Pictures, New York
  18. T.O.O. Gallery, Vancouver, BC
  19. 1987The Party's OverMetro Pictures, New York
  20. Anthony Reynolds Gallery, London
  21. 1986Civic VirtuesCity University Graduate Center Mall, New York
  22. 1985Metro Pictures, New York
  23. 1984OR Gallery, Vancouver, BC
  24. Christminstery Gallery, New York
  25. 1983Kuhlenschmidt/Simon, Los Angeles
  26. Metro Pictures, New York
  27. 1982PaintingMetro Pictures, New York
  28. 1981Metro Pictures, New York
  29. 1980Mercer Union Gallery, Toronto
  30. 1977In CameraArtists Space, New York

Group Exhibitions

  1. 2024Un-named, a group showChez Max et Dorothea, Los Angeles, CA
  2. Collaborations, a group showRolando Anselmi, Roma
  3. 2022About Painting II, a group showRolando Anselmi, Roma
  4. 2020Painting Show, a group showRolando Anselmi, Roma
  5. 2018Bio-Pic, a group showSteven Turner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
  6. 2017Los Angeles Bound, a group showThomas Erben Gallery, New York
  7. 2016Every Future has a Price: 30 Years After Infotainment, a group showElizabeth Dee Gallery, New York
  8. 2014Another Cats Show365 Mission, Los Angeles
  9. 2013Prince Igor: Imaginary Portraits, a group show curated by Dodi KazanijianArnold and Marie Schwartz Gallery, Metropolitan Opera, New York
  10. Drawn from Life: (on and around the work of R.B. Kitaj) curated by Jan Tumlir, Sarah Lehrer-Graiwer, Shirley Moralesltd, Los Angeles
  11. Ends and Exits: Contemporary Art from the Collections of LACMA and The Broad Art FoundationLos Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
  12. 2012The Last WordMaurizio Cattelan: All, exhibition finale event, Peter B. Lewis Theatre at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York
  13. 25 Years of Talent, a group showMarianne Boesky Gallery, New York
  14. Made in L.A., Los Angeles Biennial, a group survey curated by Anne Ellegood, Lauri Firstenberg, and Ali SoubotnickUCLA Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA
  15. 2011Bakers Dozen, a group show curated by Max PressneilTorrance Art Museum
  16. 2010That was Then, This is Now, a group show curated by Irving Sandler and Rob StorrCue Art Foundation, New York
  17. ON PTG: Michelle Grabner, Thomas Lawson, Carrie Moyer, Scott ReederJulius Caesar, Chicago, IL
  18. 2009The Pictures Generation 1974-1984, a historical survey curated by Douglas EklundThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
  19. New World, a show of new paintings curated by Lauri FirstenbergParticipant, New York
  20. Les Annes 80, a historical survey curated by Yves AupetitallotMagasin, Grenoble, France
  21. 2007A Palindromic Life, a group show curated by Andrew FreemanSouth La Brea Gallery, Inglewood, CA
  22. Natural Geographic, a group showNorma Desmond Projects, Los Angeles, CA
  23. 2004The Undiscovered Country, a group show curated by Russell FergusonUCLA Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA
  24. 2003Relocation, curated by Suzanne AdelmanBliss, Pasadena
  25. 2000Chairs, Patios, and FencesRosamund Felsen, Los Angeles
  26. Exurbia, a group show curated by Shirley IronsGallery Luisotti, Los Angeles
  27. The Empire Strikes Back, a group show curated by Cannon HudsonATM, New York
  28. 1998PacaembuLabotatoire, Sao Paulo
  29. 1996Attempting Community: Cultural Economies, Histories from the Alternative Arts Movement, New YorkThe Drawing Center, New York
  30. 1995OccupatoBurnett Gallery, Santa Monica, A
  31. 1994Painting in the British Arts Council CollectionChapter Arts, Cardiff, England
  32. American Fine Arts, New York
  33. 1993Monumental PropagandaICI, New York; Moscow, Russia
  34. The Categories of Robert SmithsonName Gallery, Chicago
  35. 1992Guilt by AssociationIrish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin
  36. UnfairTanja Grunert Galerie, Cologne, Germany
  37. American Fine Arts, New York
  38. FAR BazaarOld Federal Reserve Building, Los Angeles
  39. 1991El Sueño ImperativoCirculo de Bellas Artes, Madrid, Spain
  40. 1989A Forest of Signs: Art in the Crisis of RepresentationMuseum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
  41. Art of RenewalOrchard Gallery, Derry, Northern Ireland
  42. 1988Frontier ProductionCritical Art Ensemble, Tallahassee, FL
  43. Edgar Heap-of-Birds, Christopher Hewat, Margia Kramer, Thomas Lawson, Yong Soon Min
    City Hall Park Group Show    Public Art Fund, City Hall Park, New YorkMay 15-November 1
  44. 1987Art Against AIDSCitywide exhibition, New York, NY
  45. Working in Brooklyn: PaintingThe Brooklyn Museum, NY
  46. Constitution by Group MaterialThe Temple Gallery, Philadelphia
  47. California Dreamin'San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art, La Jolla
  48. 1986CorrespondencesLaforet Museum, Tokyo, Japan
  49. Por Encima del BloqueoII Bienal de la Habana, Centro Wifredo Lam, Havana, Cuba
  50. The Biennale of SydneyArt Gallery of New South Wales
  51. Rooted RhetoricAcademia di Belli Arti, Napoli, IT
  52. 1985Americana, a group Material project at The Whitney BiennialWhitney Museum of American Art, New York
  53. The Public Art ShowNexus Gallery, Atlanta, GA
  54. Minimal Representation: Another View of New York, curated by Charles KesslerJan Baum Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
  55. AnniotantaGaleria Communale d'Arte Moderna, Bologna, IT
  56. 1984The Heroic Figure: thirteen artists from the USMuseum de Arte Moderne, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Santiago, Spain; Caracas, Venezuela; New York, NY; Nordjyllands Kunstmuseum, Aalborg, Denmark; Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, TX
  57. Artists Call: Against US Interventioon in Central AmericaCity-wide exhibition, New York
  58. A Decade of New ArtArtists Space, New York
  59. Drawings: After PhotographyAllen Memorial Museum, Oberlin, OH
  60. Contemporary Perspectives 1984Center Gallery, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
  61. Contemporary TryptichsEdith C. Blum Art Institute, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
  62. 1983REALLIFE Magazine Presents..., curatorWhite Columns, New York
  63. La Forma e L'InformGaleria D'Arte Moderna, Bologna, IT
  64. Compassionate Images, curated by Paul KrainakN.A.M.E. Gallery, Chicago, IL; Art and Architeture Gallery, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Herron Gallery, Herron School of Art/IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN
  65. 1982[(" ' ' ")] Frames of ReferenceWhitney Museum of American Art, Downtown Branch, New York
  66. The Human FigureContemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA
  67. Art and The MediaThe Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago
  68. 45 Minutes of Billie Holiday, sound pieceJust Another Asshole #5, New York
  69. New Figuration in AmericaMilwaukee Art Museum
  70. 1981FiguringHallwalls, Buffalo, NY
  71. On LocationTexas Gallery, Houston, TX
  72. Illustration & AllegoryBrooke Alexander Gallery, New York
  73. Paesaggio di Paesaggi, curated by Flaminio GualdoniSalone degli Specchi del Teatro Comunale, Santa Maria Capua Vetere, IT
  74. 1980Nuova ImamagineXVI Triennale, Palazzlo del Triennale, Galleria del Disegno, Milan, IT
  75. 1979Four Scottish ArtistsArtists Space
  76. 1978The Drawing Center, New York