Matthew Fisher, the New York City-based designer and artist, has opened his highly anticipated first gallery, M. Fisher, in Manhattan’s Seaport neighbourhood. The space showcases his latest collection comprising more than 120 works – a blend of sculpture and functional art objects made from stone, metal, and cotton cord. Each piece, crafted meticulously over six months, reflects Fisher's commitment to artistry, sustainability, and the transformative power of materials.
Box Square 10 and Elegy Vessel in Marsh Green marble sit atop an unfilled white travertine counter. Above them hangs a plein air oil painting by Patrick Okrasinski of Perseus with the Head of Medusa, acquired directly from the artist (Image credit: Stephen Kent Johnson)
Bowl 6, Necked Vessel, Grand Necked Vessel, and Elegy Suspended Vessel in Italian Paonazzo marble and oxidized bronze are arranged within a hand-applied silver leaf niche (Image credit: Stephen Kent Johnson)A cabinet filled with Matthew Fisher’s stone designs in Arabescato Bluette marble. Bottom shelf, from left to right: Urn 8 and Bowl 6. Middle shelf left to right: Urn 4, Plinth 15, Plinth 7, Box Square 12, Bowl 7. Top shelf from left to right: Box Round 10, Box Round 7, Bowl 5, Urn 9 (Image credit: Stephen Kent Johnson)
Rather unconventionally, Fisher arrived at design via dance. Originally from Virginia, he moved to New York City aged 14 to train at Lincoln Center’s School of American Ballet. Yet his years as a professional dancer instilled in him a rigour and an understanding of movement and form, which he has carried through into his current practice. ‘Patience, process, and discipline have always been central to my approach,’ Fisher tells Wallpaper* ahead of his gallery opening.
The Elegy Planter in Icelandic Basalt sits in front of cabinetry, displaying a collection of works in Water Lily Brazilian quartzite. A custom Nima Chandelier from Fisher’s collection with Remains Lighting in German silver, white corded leather and alabaster extends from the plaster-washed ceiling to the fumed French oak plank floors. From left to right: Elegy Low Bowl, Bowl 5, Elegy Vessel, Elegy Footed Bowl in Water Lily Brazilian quartzite (Image credit: Stephen Kent Johnson)A Capital Series Stool in Lichen Marble sits before a custom console in Verde Apuano Marble and Icelandic Basalt. Atop the console are a pair of Fisher’s Design, Urn 9, cut from a mirrored division of the source boulder to capture a unique vein in the Spanish material. (Image credit: Stephen Kent Johnson)A black walnut alcove is illuminated by Fisher’s design Elegy Table Lantern in Ibis White onyx and pumiced silver. At the left, Vessel 15 in Linge Vert and Bowl 7 in Lichen make a unique pairing of stone quarried continents apart. The oil plein air painting is of the Fountain of Neptune in Florence by Patrick Okrasinski (Image credit: Stephen Kent Johnson)
‘My first work with stone was like refinding my family after dance,’ says Fisher. He became familiar with stone from an early age, influenced by his father’s work with the United States Geological Survey. Surrounded by conversations about rocks and minerals, he developed a lifelong fascination with stone. Ultimately, this connection to the material world, paired with a passion for design, inspired his transition from ballet to sculpture.
Fisher imagined the rotunda of the Round Gallery from the entry corridor of collectors Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent’s now dismantled Parisian apartment. Vintage chairs by the Israeli sculptor, Ilana Goor, are covered in a green silk moiré by Sahco. Two of Fisher’s most sizable works, Elegy Vessel in Water Lily Brazilian quartzite and Vessel 5 in wood onyx with cotton corded handles, stand tall on white plaster pedestals. (Image credit: Stephen Kent Johnson)A French lacquered table reflects Vessel 44 in Powder White, the result of Fisher’s experimentations in blown glass. (Image credit: Stephen Kent Johnson)Left to right: Capital Series Stool in Rosso Luana, Candelabra 3 in Naxos Green, Bowl 6 in Rosso Luana (Image credit: Stephen Kent Johnson)
Today, sustainability is a cornerstone of Fisher’s practice, with a focus on recycling the stone industry’s discarded boulders and remnants. When large blocks of stone crack or become unsuitable for countertops or other commercial uses, they are often discarded as waste. Abiding by the old adage that one person’s trash is another man’s treasure, Fisher has carved connections with quarries across Italy, Portugal, Spain, France, Cambodia, Thailand, and Brazil. In each case, they provide him with a diverse range of stone, including granite, limestone, marble, onyx, travertine, and quartzite. In Fisher’s hands they become functional works of art. Impressively, nothing goes to waste – the artist repurposes every remnant into lighting fixtures, vessels, and smaller pieces.
The salon of the Seaport gallery with the courtyard seen beyond the sculptural drape, inspired by the stage curtain of the Palais Garnier. The sofa and daybed are covered in a striking red fabric from Dedar, recalling red velvet theatre seats. The Trident Table in Nero Antico French marble is next to the sofa arm. The vintage coffee table from Liaigre supports Bowl 3 and Box Round 7, both in Moonstone onyx, and Candelabra 3 in Breccia Diaspro (Image credit: Stephen Kent Johnson)A custom console in Bianco Carrara marble with cast aluminum top supports the Elegy Table Lantern in Ibis White onyx and oxidized bronze. Opposite the lantern are Bowl 2 in Nero Antico French marble and Vessel 44 in Smoke Black glass. A reproduction cast of the Corybantes Plaque from the Sir John Soane Museum is affixed with steel brackets above (Image credit: Stephen Kent Johnson)Bowl 5, Object 7 Plate Large and Cup in Breccia Diaspro Sicilian marble sit next to Vessel 17, an oil burner tall column, in Rosso Levanto marble (Image credit: Stephen Kent Johnson)
Of his visual language, Fisher describes incorporating classical forms into his contemporary designs, drawing inspiration from ancient architecture and also 19th- and 20th-century European decorative arts. The Seaport gallery’s central rotunda, for example, directly references the entrance hall in Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé’s Parisian apartment. It’s little surprise, then, that he has rejected the traditional ‘white box’ design for his showroom. ‘I wanted you to feel something upon walking in… a sense of place and home,’ he says. Warm wood, soft lighting, and natural materials create an intimate, welcoming atmosphere that invites visitors to interact with the art in a personal way. ‘I want my spaces and objects to be used and to develop a patina over time,’ Fisher adds. ‘These pieces are meant to be lived with, not just admired or photographed.’
M. Fisher, 106 South Street, New York, NY 10038, open by appointment, mfisher.com
A custom console in Bianco Carrara marble with cast aluminum top supports Fisher’s works. Elegy Floor Lantern in Ibis White onyx and oxidized bronze stands beside the tableau (Image credit: Stephen Kent Johnson)The Nima Wall Sconce in antique brass, alabaster and black corded leather, one of Matthew Fisher’s lighting designs for Remains Lighting, is mounted above a series of his works in Calacatta Viola Italian marble (Image credit: Stephen Kent Johnson)A cast bronze base of fish-tailed cherubs from Harlan Rose of FEA Antiques supports a remnant slab from Fisher’s shop in Queens, a unique igneous stone slab of various jewel tones from Brazil. Capital Series Stools in Rosso Luana and Arabescato Bluette flank the table with an array of evergreens behind (Image credit: Stephen Kent Johnson)
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