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Lyles & King, New York Gallery, Announces Closure After 11 Years
Lyles & King, the closely watched downtown New York gallery, has officially announced its closure after 11 years in operation. The announcement was made on July 2, following the conclusion of the gallery’s final exhibitions: a solo presentation by Jessie Makinson and a group exhibition featuring Cato Ouyang, Fernanda Galvão, and Ren Light Pan, both of which closed on June 20.
Over the course of its run, the gallery built a reputation for presenting artists with distinctive visual languages and ambitious practices. Its roster and exhibition history included notable figures such as Aneta Grzeszykowska, Mira Schor, Joey Tang, Thomas Fougeirol, Kathy Ruttenberg, and Lily Wong.
Isaac Lyles, the gallery’s founder, addressed the gallery’s network in a final email that opened with the words “Dear Friends.” In the message, he wrote that it was with profound gratitude and a tinge of sadness that he announced the closure of Lyles & King after 11 years and 118 exhibitions.
From the Lower East Side to Chinatown
Lyles & King was founded in May 2015 on the Lower East Side, opening at 106 Forsyth Street with an exhibition titled “The Inaugural.” The show brought together artists from different generations, including Mira Schor, Violet Dennison, Davina Semo, Despina Stokou, and Eli Ping. It was followed by solo exhibitions by artists such as Schor, Semo, Chris Hood, Aneta Grzeszykowska, Aaron Gilbert, and Rose Kallal.
The gallery’s final exhibition at Forsyth Street closed in May 2020, before Lyles & King moved to a larger space at the corner of Catherine Street and Henry Street in Chinatown. The new location opened in September 2020 with “I WANT TO FEEL ALIVE AGAIN,” an exhibition staged at a moment when, as the gallery’s press material noted, the world was filled with uncertainty.
That exhibition turned toward the human figure and the skin as central points of reflection, bringing together artists including Rebecca Horn, Farley Aguilar, Ivana Bašić, Jenna Gribbon, Ariana Papademetropoulos, Chiffon Thomas, Faith Wilding, and Elia Alba. In retrospect, the move to Chinatown marked not only a physical expansion, but also a shift into a larger field of ambition for the gallery.
Artists Who Moved From Lyles & King to the Global Stage
Lyles & King also became known as a platform that supported artists before they moved into wider international visibility. Aneta Grzeszykowska later appeared in the 2022 Venice Biennale, Shala Miller was included in the 2026 Carnegie International, and Kiyan Williams participated in the 2024 Whitney Biennial. Aaron Gilbert, who first showed with Lyles & King in 2019, is now represented by Gladstone Gallery.
In his final message, Isaac Lyles thanked the artists for their vision, risk-taking, and ambition. He also extended his gratitude to collectors, curators, fellow galleries, writers, visitors, and his family for their support throughout the gallery’s 11-year journey.
The closure of Lyles & King adds another marker to a changing New York gallery landscape, particularly for mid-sized and independent spaces that have helped shape the city’s contemporary art ecology outside the blue-chip circuit. While the gallery has now closed, Lyles ended his message by saying that he looked forward to sharing what would come next.
Story: Tae Art Man
