Exhibiting with Commonweal Gallery
Since 2023, I’ve had the honor of exhibiting with Commonweal Gallery, a Philadelphia-based contemporary art space dedicated to showcasing thoughtful, materially driven work. Known for its commitment to craft, community, and critical dialogue, Commonweal has provided a platform for artists exploring intersections of tradition, identity, and innovation. Through group exhibitions centered on collaboration, nature, design, and cultural heritage, I’ve found Commonweal to be a meaningful creative home—one that values both conceptual rigor and the tactile power of handmade objects. Exhibiting here has not only expanded my practice but also deepened my connection to Philadelphia’s vibrant community of artists and makers.
Plantasia
Commonweal Gallery, Philadelphia
Inspired by Mort Garson’s 1976 cult album created for houseplants, Plantasia brought together 11 Philadelphia-based artists to explore themes of growth, nature, and resilience through vibrant, organic works. Co-curated by Sarah Feferman, the show celebrated the nurturing power of art and the steady rhythm of the natural world as a counterbalance to uncertainty. Richie López’s work contributed to this vision, blending botanical motifs with fiber techniques that honor ancestral knowledge and regeneration.
A pair of floral embroideries emerged from the prompt titled “Peonies in yellow Vase” + “Tulips in Blue Striped Vase”
teamwerk
Commonweal Gallery, Philadelphia – 2024
In teamwerk, 20 Philadelphia artists were paired into ten collaborative duos to explore creative synergy and the power of cooperation. Richie López partnered with ceramicist Isabella Akhtarshenas to present Crafted Earth: Fire and Fibers, a body of work that fuses the grounding solidity of clay with the fluid tactility of textiles. Their pieces—vessels and functional objects—celebrate the home as both sanctuary and ecosystem, blending ancestral craft traditions and earth-derived materials to evoke warmth, rootedness, and ritual. Together, their work invites reflection on how shared making can cultivate harmony in divided times.
LUX: Extraordinary Objects from Exceptional Philadelphia Designers
Commonweal Gallery, Philadelphia – 2024
LUX showcased the work of visionary Philadelphia-based designers pushing the boundaries of form, function, and aesthetics through objects that transform everyday environments. Richie López contributed two original embroidery works and three woven pieces that highlighted his distinctive approach to fiber arts—where vivid color, cultural storytelling, and tactile beauty intersect. Rooted in tradition yet undeniably contemporary, his pieces reflected the show’s mission to celebrate innovation and elevate the way we interact with the objects that shape our daily lives.
