Daily Archives: November 15, 2009

Nature Girls (Jumping Janes)

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Martha Rosler

Nature Girls (Jumping Janes), from the series Body Beautiful or Body Knows No Pain, 1966-72, Photomontage

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Il Lee’s Ballpoint Abstractions

Using disposable ballpoint pens, Lee creates dramatic ink fields on surfaces of canvas and paper.

Among other recent and historical artistic influences, Lee (b. 1952) is largely inspired by Minimalism and the Asian practice of Sumukhwa (ink and wash painting). By combining an inclination toward austerely controlled forms with the distinctive fluidity of ink, he melds Eastern and Western cultural aesthetics into abstractions that are contemporary, yet firmly rooted in tradition. His expressive strokes — characterized by rhythmic, physically demanding arm gestures — leave behind a record of intersecting orbits, undulating lines, and frenetic swirls. When viewed en masse, these discrete movements amount to objects with monumental presence; like wide-open landscapes or perfectly preserved fossils, their auras are imposing and serene, provoking awe and inviting meditation. ()

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