Butbeautiful llc.
1125 NW 9th Ave., #109
Portland, OR 97209
United States
exhibit 2009: butbeautiful II
"fuyu no hajime ni"
Butbeautiful II
Paintings of Michael Lee
Click on the thumbnails to view paintings.
序文
古い友人が、仕事を引退して絵を描いているんだ。個展を見に
行こう。そんなふうに誘われて、恵比寿のギャラリー・レト
ワールに足を運んだのは昨年冬のことです。どんな絵なのかは
全く知らず、軽い気持ちで伺いました。
Leeさんの、なんとなくはにかんだような笑顔に迎えられ、作品
を拝見しました。地球上のどこかのようで、どこでもないよう
な、原始的な風景を想像させるシンプルな構図、素朴であたた
かみのある色彩とタッチに心を惹かれました。
そこには、手探りながらも自らの内的価値により忠実であろう
とする画家の、真摯な試みの一つ一つを見ることができました。
Leeさんの描く大らかな地形には、人の全てをやわらかく受け
容れる優しさ、力強さと同時に、大切なものを失ってなお最後
に残る、ひとすじの希望を感じ取ることができます。
幼い頃から多くの国で生活し、自国というのはあってないよう
なもの、と語るLeeさん。
数々の出会いと別れを繰り返す中で、五感に響いた美しいもの
と情動が折り重なり、長い対話と葛藤を経て、絵画という理想
の形になって現れたのかもしれません。
今回縁あって、Leeさんの二度目の個展をシークエルにて開催
することになりました。テーマは「冬のはじめに」。
深く遠く広がる冬の空に、皆様はどんな感情を見つけられるで
しょうか。
ギャラリー・シークエル
梶彩子
from the gallery
“An old friend of mine retired and started painting. Let’s go see his exhibit.” That was how I was invited to the Gallery l’Etoile in Ebisu last winter. I went along without too much thought, having absolutely no idea what kind of paintings I would see.
We were greeted by Michael Lee’s shy smile. Then we saw his work. I was drawn into the simple compositions evoking primal landscapes that could be of this world, yet might not be, as well as the rustic and warm color and touch. Within each of his paintings I was able to see the artist’s sincere efforts to be more true to his own inner values while also blindly searching for them himself.
In Lee-san’s generous landscapes, one can sense a kindness and strength to gently accept people wholly and, at the same time, a last remaining ray of hope after losing something precious. Lee-san speaks of the many countries he lived in as a boy and how it seems he has no country to call his own. In the midst of constant meetings and partings, there was an overlapping of emotion and beauty that resonated in the senses; and out of long inner dialogues and many conflicts these experiences perhaps came together and emerged in the ideal form of paintings.
We are fortunate this time to have Lee-san’s second private exhibition at Gallery Sequel, entitled “At the Beginning of Winter.” I wonder what type of emotions you will discover in the depth and distance of the expansive winter skies.
Ayako Kaji,
Gallery Sequel
Tokyo, Japan
Butbeautiful llc.
1125 NW 9th Ave., #109
Portland, OR 97209
United States