AMSTERDAM.- The Garage, gallery and residency space in Amsterdam, is hosting a solo exhibition of New York based artist Mike Lee from 29 September, 2018. I’ve Missed You is Lee’s first dedicated presentation in Europe, following a string of successful solo shows in L.A., New York and Portland as well as Asian debuts in Tokyo and Hong Kong. The artist is exhibiting his latest series of smoothly-textured monochromatic paintings in the 17th century carriage gallery space, nestled amongst the canals of Amsterdam.
Lee’s practice involves a construction of harmonious compositions in which light and interaction of characters form the desired narrative. Borrowing elements from his digital media career, these sanguine oil paintings are a merging of classical art with CGI-like aesthetics. His subjects are a collection of sphered body parts stripped of any distinctive features, floating in their frames, which together create a sense of weightlessness and connection between characters – by way of unity, a poetic narrative is at play, where emotions are boundless and tangible.
Although rarely focusing on politics, for his presentation at The Garage, the artist has been inspired by issues of immigrant family separations in his homeland. Having lived and worked primarily in an Hispanic community, he has developed a strong sense of empathy and connection to those affected by the recent US administration.
His reaction to the devastating scenes of families torn apart was to create a series of images that depict the joys of reuniting with loved ones. These six new oil paintings are a celebration of unity, kindness and respect towards others.
Artist, Mike Lee says: “The most important thing to me is the emotional connection people have with my work. I try to achieve this through shaping the lighting, an abstracting of figures and a sense of unity between these subjects.”
I’ve Missed You also inaugurates the artist’s first tondo works as a leading part of the exhibition. This series introduces Lee’s imagery to a new format - he is breaking out of his usual square dimensions and into an unrestricted atmosphere, allowing the artist to reimagine and explore his subjects in more complex and elaborate ways. Without any sharp lines or angles, these pieces achieve an ultimate feeling of freedom and openness - the main antipodes to the actual issues that inspired their creations.
