Joseph Walsh Biography

Joseph Walsh is an Irish Designer and Maker whose work reflects his passion for expression through material and form. From monumental scale sculptures to one-of-a-kind site-specific commissions, every piece within his body of work reveals an intuitive relationship with making, a sympathetic use of materials and an expressive engagement with form.

Joseph Walsh was born in County Cork on the south coast of Ireland where he established his own studio and workshop in 1999 and remains based today. With no formal training, he began to explore his passion for making, visiting master makers around Europe, and developing his own mastery of wood working and deep knowledge of the material. From the outset, he pursued innovation in making based on traditional techniques, often from other craft forms, which enabled new making methods and forms. This led to significant early commissions for various ecclesiastical clients, the Embassy of Japan and the National Museum of Ireland.

From these early years of experimentation and development, Joseph Walsh began to break some of the traditional rules of making, and even his own rules, in order to create the truly bold and expressive forms for which he is known today, realised in an ever-widening range of materials, including wood, marble and bronze. His achievements in design have been recognised by an honorary doctorate from University College Cork, a major commission for the National Gallery of Ireland and the acquisition of works for many major international collections, including most recently the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

In addition to his Studio practice, Joseph Walsh has cultivated a rich cultural programme. Making In, established in 2017, is a non-profit organisation initiated as an annual seminar of international creatives from the disciplines of art, craft, design and architecture. Recently, the programme expanded beyond the workshop at Joseph Walsh Studio to a wider audience through the making and release of documentary films.

See full portfolio

Permanent Collections

Musée des Arts Décoratifs

Paris, France
Metropolitan Museum Of Art

New York, USA
Centre Pompidou

Paris, France
Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum

New York, USA
National Gallery of Ireland

Dublin, Ireland
National Museum of Ireland, Decorative Arts & History Collection

Dublin, Ireland
Mint Museum of Craft & Design

North Carolina, USA
Museum of Arts and Design

New York, USA
The Devonshire Collection, Chatsworth House

Derbyshire, United Kingdom
DaLisca Family Church

Verona, Italy
Embassy of Japan

Dublin, Ireland
Tsubaki Grand Shrine

Suzuka, Japan
Sacred Heart Church

Minane Bridge, Ireland

Solo Exhibitions

2023
- Joseph Walsh, Paris, XXIII
  
  Paris, France
2022
- Joseph Walsh, Gestures, London 2022
  
  Sotheby's, London, UK
2018
- RINN
  
  A Lighthouse Called Kanata Gallery, Sogetsu Arts Centre, Japan
2017
- Joseph Walsh Exhibition
  
  A Lighthouse Called Kanata Gallery, Tsubaki Shrine, Japan
- Reveal
  
  American Irish Historical Society, New York, USA
2014
- Solo Exhibition
  
  The Roche Court Educational Trust, New Art Centre, UK
- Lilium
  
  Oliver Sears Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
2011
- ENIGNUM & Other Stories
  
  Oliver Sears Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
2008
- Realisations
  
  American Irish Historical Society, New York, USA

Selected Group Exhibitions

2023
- Design At Large
  
  Design Miami/ Podium x Shanghai, Shanghai, China
- Mirror Mirror: Reflections on Design at Chatsworth
  
  Chatsworth House, Chatsworth, UK
2022
- Design At Large
  
  Design Miami/ Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Living With Art We Love
  
  Chatsworth House, Chatsworth, UK
- Mimèsis. Un design vivant
  
  Centre Pompidou-Metz, Metz, France
2021
- Design at Large
  
  Design Miami/ Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Design Miami/ Podium x Shanghai
  
  Shanghai, China
2020
- Curio
  
  Design Miami/ , Miami, Florida, USA
- Centre Pompidou x West Bund
  
  Shanghai, China
- West Bund Art Fair
  
  Shanghai, China
2019
- Curio
  
  Design Miami/ , Miami, Florida, USA
- West Bund Art Fair
  
  Shanghai, China
- Design At Large
  
  Design Miami/ Basel, Basel, Switzerland
2018
- Earth, Wind and Fire: Made in Cork Contemporary
  
  Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, Ireland
2017
- Making|Breaking: New Arrivals
  
  Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York, USA
- Narratives in Making
  
  PORTFOLIO: Critical Selection, National Design & Craft Gallery, Kilkenny, Ireland
- Design Miami/ (Sarah Myerscough Gallery)
  
  Basel, Switzerland ; Miami, USA
- Pavillion of Art & Design (Sarah Myerscough Gallery)
  
  London, UK
- Salon Art + Design (Sarah Myerscough Gallery)
  
  New York, USA
2016
- Master Works
  
  LongHouse Reserve, East Hampton, New York, USA
- Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
  
  London, UK
- In Residence II
  
  Oliver Sears Gallery, London, UK
- Design Miami/ (Sarah Myerscough Gallery)
  
  Basel, Switzerland ; Miami, USA
- Pavillion of Art & Design (Sarah Myerscough Gallery)
  
  London, UK
- Salon Art + Design (Sarah Myerscough Gallery)
  
  New York, USA
2015
- Crafted: Objects In Flux
  
  Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA
- Make Yourself Comfortable at Chatsworth
  
  Chatsworth House, Chatsworth, UK
- Side by Side
  
  PORTFOLIO: Critical Selection, National Design & Craft Gallery, Kilkenny, Ireland ; Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris, France ; ID2015 Design Hub at the Coach House, Dublin Castle, Dublin, Ireland
- In Residence I
  
  Oliver Sears Gallery, London, UK
2014
- Design Show: Joseph Walsh, Daniel Naude and Johannes Nagel
  
  Artist House, The Roche Court Educational Trust, New Art Centre, UK
- Collective 2
  
  Skylight at Moynihan Station, NY, USA
- FOG: Design & Art
  
  Fort Mason Festival Pavilion, San Francisco, USA
- Against the Grain: Wood in Contemporary Art and Craft
  
  Bellevue Arts Museum, Washington, USA
2013
- Against the Grain: Wood in Contemporary Art and Craft
  
  Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
- Cheongju International Craft Biennale
  
  Cheongju, South Korea
- Modern Makers
  
  Chatsworth House, Chatsworth, UK
- COLLECT
  
  Claire Beck at Adrian Sassoon, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
- Against the Grain: Wood in Contemporary Art and Craft
  
  Museum of Arts and Design, New York, USA
2012
- Against the Grain: Wood in Contemporary Art and Craft
  
  Mint Museum Uptown, Charlotte, North, Carolina, USA
- COLLECT
  
  Claire Beck at Adrian Sassoon, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
- Salone del Mobile (Nilufar Gallery)
  
  Palazzo Durini, Milan, Italy
- Wallpaper Handmade
  
  Palazzo Brioni, Milan, Italy
- Design Days Dubai (Nilufar Gallery)
  
  Dubai, UAE
- Dubh / Dialogues In Black
  
  Oliver Sears Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
2011
- SuperDesign
  
  Nilufar Gallery, The Dairy, London, UK
- Black & White
  
  Oliver Sears Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
- Dubh / Dialogues In Black
  
  American Irish Historical Society, New York, USA
- Design Miami/ Basel (Nilufar Gallery)
  
  Basel, Switzerland
- Pavillon des Art et du Design (Nilufar Gallery)
  
  Paris, France
- Salone del Mobile (Nilufar Gallery)
  
  Palazzo Durini, Milan, Italy
- COLLECT
  
  Claire Beck at Adrian Sassoon, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
2010
- MATERIALpoetry
  
  American Irish Historical Society, New York, USA
- Irish Craft Portfolio 2010
  
  National Design & Craft Gallery, Killkenny, Ireland
- Pavillion of Art & Design (Todd Merrill Studio)
  
  London, UK
- Design Miami/ (Todd Merrill Studio)
  
  Miami, Florida, USA
2009
- Pavilion of Art & Design (Todd Merrill Studio)
  
  London, UK
- Grassimesse
  
  GRASSImuseum, Leipzig, Germany
- Design Miami/ Basel (Cristina Grajales Gallery)
  
  Basel, Switzerland
2008
- SOFA
  
  The National Craft Gallery, Chicago, USA
- Ecology, Mythology, Technology
  
  Farmleigh House, Dublin, Ireland

Lectures & Talks

2024
- Joseph Walsh
  
  Art House, Singapore
2023
- Becoming A Designer
  
  Design Miami/ Podium x Shanghai, Shanghai, China
- Joseph Walsh
  
  Materials and Furniture: The Legends, Daniella Ohad x Christie’s Education, Online
- Maker & Material
  
  Shape to Fabrication, London, UK
2022
- The Science of Making
  
  Mint Museum Uptown, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
2020
- Design in Dialogue #39: Joseph Walsh
  
  Digital
2018
- Earth, Wind and Fire: Made in Cork Contemporary
  
  Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, Ireland
2017
- The Making & Mastery of ‘Magnus Modus’
  
  National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
- Crafting the Contemporary
  
  New York School of Interior Design, New York, USA
2015
- Art Out Loud: Literary Festival
  
  Chatsworth House, Chatsworth, UK
- A dialogue in Making: Joseph Walsh and Keisuke Kawai Master Maker
  
  The Embassy of Ireland, Tokyo, Japan
2012
- Joseph Walsh: In Conversation
  
  Mint Museum Uptown, Charlotte, North, Carolina, USA
2009
- Realisations: A Reflection on 10 Years of Making
  
  The National Museum of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
2008
- Materiality and Construction
  
  Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Boston, USA

Awards & Recognition

2020
- Jack Lenor Larsen Award
  
  Winter Benefit, LongHouse Reserve, Hearst Tower, New York
2017
- Cultural Award
  
  American Irish Historical Society, New York, USA
- Award of the Commissioning of 'Magnus Modus'
  
  On the occasion of the reopening of the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin
2015
- Honorary Degree of Doctor of Arts
  
  University College Cork, Cork, Ireland