Richard Nam

Richard Nam, born in Los Angeles in 1997, earned his BFA in Painting and Printmaking from UCLA in 2019 before completing an MFA in Studio Art at CalArts in 2021. He works fluidly across ceramics, drawing, painting, and mixed media, drawing upon his Southern California upbringing to anchor his process in both discipline and discovery.

At the heart of Nam’s oeuvre lies an enduring fascination with paleontology and the deep history of the earth, which he channels into his celebrated “Dino-Pots.” These sculptural vessels (part planter, part prehistoric creature) balance whimsy and gravitas as they honor clay’s dual nature of strength and fragility. In a two-person exhibition at The Pit in Palm Springs, his dinosaur forms stood beside oil paintings by Magnus Sodamin, framing an evolutionary narrative from Mesozoic giants to modern avian life.

Parallel to his larger sculptural works, Nam has cultivated a joyful series of ceramic cat pipes, each imbued with its own color palette, posture, and facial expression. With a mischievous spirit and subtle humor, these one-of-a-kind figures engage the functional aspects of pipe-making while inviting viewers to rediscover the everyday through a feline lens. High Society is honored to feature this collection, offering connoisseurs the chance to acquire a playful yet expertly crafted companion for their homes.

Our partnership with Richard Nam extends beyond retail: by integrating his cat pipes into our seasonal installations and showcases, we celebrate the shared values of craftsmanship, innovation, and storytelling. Each piece exemplifies the dynamic dialogue between artist and atelier, reinforcing High Society’s commitment to presenting works that resonate on both aesthetic and conceptual levels. We invite you to visit our Los Angeles store to experience Nam’s sculptures firsthand and to explore the broader narrative they enact within our creative community.