
@designedbylili
lili is a multimedia artist, photographer, and organizer based in NYC and San Francisco. Her work, firmly rooted in research and theory, explores concepts of beauty, perception, and corporeality.
Born and raised in San Francisco, Lili Price (aka Lili Bradford, she/her) studied photography, illustration, and art history at Parsons School of Design in NYC.
Lili studies and depicts relationships between the Self and its container, often alluding
to issues of gender, beauty, mental health, and the nature of corporeality. She's a
contemporary surrealist, responding to the surreality that is living as conscious
souls inside nonstatic containers – within societies that constantly demand and redefine
normalcy.
As an invisibly-disabled young woman, she's deeply invested in theories of mental/physical existence: the lines between selfhood, body-objecthood, and environment. Her work frequently captures the experience of interacting with one’s own embodiment - utilizing mirrors to represent both binary and integrated relationships between Body and Self – meanwhile fracturing human anatomy via practical effects to illustrate the unfamiliarity many of us feel towards our own bodies.
Her practice is rooted in research: drawing
from existentialism and philosophy, psychology and neurology, surrealist theory and art
history, and gender, queer, and disability studies. She enjoys repurposing historically controversial imagery with fresh intentions.
As the 21st century accelerates towards decorporealization and invents new body modifications, how to exist with our bodies becomes an ever more important question. Lili intends to make work that finds cohesion between mental and physical existence, while contributing to ongoing struggles to reframe gender, beauty, and overall bodily normality with nuance.
Lili also works in ceramic sculpture and commercial illustration, and is an avid curator of knowledge in Modern Art and Women Artists history (subjects she has taught via nonprofits). She works in VE at the International Center of Photography, is Head Assistant for Unsigned Models LLC, and founded/runs Quiddity Collective (a bimonthly illustration zine and artist collective, nonprofit).
Learning
2019-2024
PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN - BFA: major in illustration, minors in photography & art/design history
2021-2023
SMITHSONIAN ASSOCIATES - World Art History Certificate
2018
ACADEMY OF ART - Precollege Program
2018
SADIE VALERI ATELIER
2017
SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO - ECP Intensive (Experimental Drawing)
Employment + Experience
2025-P
UNSIGNED MODELS: Head Assistant
2024-P
INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF PHOTOGRAPHY - Visitor Experience Associate
2024-P
FOTOLAB NYC - Studio Manager
2024-P
QUIDDITY COLLECTIVE - Founder, Organizer, Editor
2024-2025
LAHN - Sales Associate
2014-2019
DESIGNED BY LILI - Founder, Illustrator
2017-2018
TANTRUM - Salesperson
Teaching
2020-P
FREELANCE Art College Application/Portfolio Advisor
2020-2021
LEARNING UNLIMITED / SPLASH RAINSTORM - "History of Western Modern Art (1850-1950): Journey to Abstraction" + "History of Western Modern Art (Post-War): Artist as Activist"
2021
UNITED UNDER ARTS Visiting Lecturer
2020-2022
WAVE LEARNING FESTIVAL - "History of Western Modern Art" + "Portfolio Development: Applying to Art Colleges" + "Know Their Names: Female Artists Throughout History"
Group Shows
2024
AGORA GALLERY: NY ILY
2024
2023, 2024
PARSONS ILLUSTRATION: Senior Show
PHOTOFEAST Biannual Pinup
2019
INCLINE GALLERY: Ugly - Curator, Installer, Artist
2017
ADOBE BOOKS GALLERY
Publication (Selection)
Specialties & Skills
Extensive knowledge of: modern art history (1850-1980), female artists, feminist theory, philosophy
Mental health & disability advocacy, CBT & MBSR skills
Mediums of specialty: digital photography, charcoal, ceramics
Classically trained pianist
2024
AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHY 40 Book: AI-AP Award Winner
2021
ONLY CHILD "1 BY 1" Biannual Book: Cover
2021
POZA Magazine
2021
2021
MARIKA Magazine
ART OF PORTRAIT Magazine
2021
2021
MOB JOURNAL: Cover Story
TOP POSTERS Magazine: Cover
2021
HORIZONT Magazine, 2x