Good Mother Gallery is pleased to present Home bodies, a new solo exhibition by Los Angeles-based artist Ryan Belli, opening Saturday, March 1st from 5-7 PM at our Los Angeles Location.

Ryan Belli is a sculptor and designer known for his lively approach to functional objects, challenging traditional furniture design by incorporating playful, interactive elements that engage the viewer beyond mere utility. In this exhibition, Belli explores society’s growing obsession with the self at the expense of community. Through his sculptural works, he considers the home as the natural border between individual and collective identity, with wooden figures representing the fragments of ourselves that we leave behind in private spaces. His use of material, particularly in his wall mounted light works, evokes both flags and quilts, two seemingly contradictory reference points. A flag signifies separation, distinguishing one person or place from another, while quilting has historically symbolized unity and togetherness.

Born and raised in the Hudson Valley, Belli studied at Vassar College before continuing his education at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. He honed his craft during a seven year apprenticeship with the Haas Brothers, working across a multitude of mediums to shape materials into unique, organic forms. His practice blurs the line between art and function by creating objects that are sculptural, furniture based, or interactive, and that are both practical and thought-provoking.

Belli’s work challenges the sterile minimalism often associated with contemporary design, instead embracing forms that invite curiosity and interaction. Drawing inspiration from radical Italian design, surrealism, and modernist craft traditions, his pieces feature exaggerated shapes, unexpected proportions, and a sense of movement that makes them feel dynamic and alive.

This exhibition further solidifies Belli’s ability to transform everyday materials into objects of dialogue and reflection. By contrasting ideas of division and unity within his sculptural works, he prompts viewers to question how personal space and collective identity coexist in a world increasingly centered on the individual.