Sarah Lee: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Sarah Lee: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow 16 June - 6 August 2023

Sarah Lee (b. 1990) Sarah Lee is a Los Angeles-based artist who specializes in creating large scale abstract paintings. She was born in 1990 in Manhattan, New York, and began studying Fine Art painting at the Pratt Institute of Fine Arts located in Brooklyn before moving to California in 2013. She received her BFA from Art Center College of Design in 2016, and MBA from Seoul National University in Seoul, Korea in 2021. Her art dwells in the contentious realms of politics and philosophy. Raising important questions on the tenuous boundaries of social constructs through her practice, Lee redefines contemporary notions of intuition and logic. She operates within the gray areas of these disciplines, engulfing viewers into the discourse through powerful and emotionally charged canvases. Lee’s work flirts with the intangible concepts of freedom, unconsciousness and social dynamism by invoking the academic ide- als of abstract expressionism. Beyond dealing with the purely abstract, Lee also dabbles with figurative expressionism, conjuring classical themes and subject matter through a dis- tinct and uncharacteristically bold artistic voice unusual for her young age. Boasting an impressive command of art history, Lee is unafraid to take on creative reinterpretations of historical masterpieces such as Diego Velazquez’s Las Meninas, a feat only the great Picas- so dared to attempt. Bursting with youthful vigor and talent, Lee has proven herself worthy to step into the shoes of the masters whose art she re-imagines. She held her first solo exhibition, I Am Not Unconscious, in February 2016, followed im- mediately by Ignis Fatuus, in July 2016. Her solo exhibition, Episteme, A Free Man’s Yoke in March 2021, took place in Punto Blu gallery in Seoul, Korea. In this ground-breaking exhibition, Lee enters a conversation with philosopher Michel Foucault’s profound ideas on Episteme, the understanding of scientific knowledge. She delves into the essence of freedom itself by reconstructing the dynamics of power that frame the grand narratives of our classical past.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow Sarah Lee’s (b. 1990) practice is largely influenced by the complexity of the human psy- che, and key concepts such as liberty, power relations, and solitude. The philosophical musings of thinkers like Michel Foucault, particularly his notion of Episteme, inform the artist’s exploration of the authenticity of individual freedom. In her first solo exhibition in Singapore, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, continues her exploration of freedom and societal constructs, combining influences from master paintings and modern film with philosophical ideas from literature and research. The approach involves interpreting these sources, linking narratives, and finding connections between elements from different periods and mediums. Classical literature and philosophy were the reference point, drawing from texts like Homer’s “Iliad” and “Odyssey”, Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” and “Macbeth”, Hobbes’ “Leviathan”, Russian novelist Dostoevsky’s “Notes from Underground” and “Crime and Punishment”, Sophocles’ “Antigone”, and Machiavelli’s “The Prince”. The narratives, struggles, and contemplations in these works have been instrumental in shaping the thematic landscape of the series. In these recent works, she has transitioned to using scenes from films or movies as an additional layer of visual reference. This new approach not only enriches the creative process but also adds complexity and abstraction to my paintings. With the incorporation of the cinematic elements, there is an expansion of ideas and narratives found in classical and philosophical works, thus inviting viewers to engage with these concepts in a more relatable and contemporary context. The characteristics of the Baroque period, with its Hide Your Fires, 2023 intricate complexity and raw emotional power, seemed fitting to visually represent Foucault’s Episteme. Lee doesn’t aim to reproduce these Baroque masterpieces verbatim. Instead, reinterprets them, deconstruct their essence such as the use of vibrant and dynamic colour intense contrasts of light and dark, weaving them into a contemporary narrative . This way, a layered, abstract visual language is created to serve as a bridge between past and present, reflecting the timeless themes of power dynamics, social constructs, and the struggle The central theme of the current exhibition is an investigation of the quest for autonomy, authority relationships, and isolation within societal norms, encapsulated through the medium of painting.

The idea of ‘effortless action’ or ‘Wu Wei’ from Taoism, a philosophy that deeply influences her work. Lee employs techniques of intuitivity and spontaneity through colour application, and immediacy and rawness in the lack of blending in her brushstrokes. The rich hues reflect the vibrancy and unpredictability of the modern world. The dialogue between these vibrant contemporary colours and the weighty, serious concepts behind the paintings creates a fascinating tension. Fleeting Years, 2023 The balance of control and surrender in the process of inflicting a brushstroke further emphasises the struggle between societal norms and personal desires, logic and intuition. The use of transparency is crucial to creating a sense of visual and conceptual depth in the work. Each layer of paint, each visible or partially obscured brushstroke, contributes to a narrative that extends beyond the surface of the canvas. This technique becomes a metaphor for the complexities and layers of the human condition, fabrication, and the themes of sovereignties, obedience, and disobedience that the artist interrogates. Elements create an intriguing juxtaposition when viewed in the context of the profound philosophical and societal issues the paintings grapple with. This approach serves to challenge traditional representations and infuses the work with a sense of spontaneity and unpredictability, reflecting life’s inherent uncertainties. The title of this series Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, is a phrase borrowed from Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”. This phrase speaks to the relentless march of time and the enduring nature of human struggle. Woven together in this series are the narratives that grapple with timeless questions of power, identity, and societal constructs. Just as the characters in these narratives confront their realities, so too do we continually face our “tomorrows”, shaped by the complex interplay of societal forces and individual actions. Moreover, the repetition of “Tomorrow” in the title echoes the recurring cycles and patterns inhistory and human behaviour. It also alludes to the idea of hope and resilience - the notion that despite the struggles we face today, there is always a “tomorrow” to strive for.

Fleeting Years 2023 Gouache flashe, oil and acrylic on canvas 76 x 61 cm

Generation of Leaves 2023 Oil and acrylic on canvas 92 x 92 cm

Holy Crime 2023 Oil and acrylic on canvas 122 x 92 cm

If Your Day Be Today, So Be It 2023 Oil and acrylic on canvas 183 x 92 cm (2 panels)

Light Of Dissent 2023 Oil and acrylic on canvas 122 x 92cm

Stars, Hide Your Fires 2023 Oil and acrylic on canvas 92 x 92 cm

Susanna’s Antigone 2023 Oil and acrylic on canvas 122 x 92 cm

Tide in the Affair of Men (diptych) 2023 Oil and acrylic on canvas 244 x 92 cm (2 panels)

Trick or Treat 2021 Oil and Acrylic on Canvas 153 x 184 cm

The Punishment 2021 Oil and Acrylic on Canvas 72 x 92 cm

“WHAT DID IT MATTER WHERE SHE CAME FROM, OR WHOSE CHILD SHE WAS, WHEN LOVE WAS DANCING IN HER VEINS?” 2021 Oil, Acrylic and Pastel on Canvas 130 × 388 × 3 cm

Artist CV

Sarah Lee Education 2021 MBA, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea 2017 Gunmyungwon, Seoul, South Korea 2016 BFA, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA 2014 Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea 2013 Fine Art, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, USA Selected Solo Exhibitions 2021 Episteme, A Free Man’s Yoke, Gallery Punto Blu, Seoul, South Korea 2016 I Am Not Unconscious, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA Ignis Fatuus: a room of my own, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA Duo Exhibition 2021 [Framed Superiority], Gallery Punto Blu, Seoul, South Korea 2018 Poetic Disharmony, Gallery Pont des Arts, Seoul, South Korea Group Exhibitions 2017 HIS Art Fair, Imperial Palace Hotel, Seoul, South Korea 2016 Leveled, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA Fearless Moves, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA Art Fairs 2019 Palm Springs Art Fair, California, USA 2018 Seoul Art Show, Seoul, South Korea 2017 Imperial Palace Hotel Art Fair, Seoul, South Korea Curatorial Projects 2016 Leveled, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA Fearless Moves, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA

Awards, Grants and Artist Residency 2016 AC Departmental Scholarship, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA Provost’s List (GPA above 3.8), Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA 2015 Pasadena Art Alliance, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA Provost’s List (GPA above 3.8), Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA 2014 San Marino Art League, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA Provost’s List (GPA above 3.8), Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA 2013 Art Center 100 Annual, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA Provost’s List (GPA above 3.8), Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA 2010 Scholarship, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, USA 2008 Korea, Japan, China Joint Art Contest 1st Place Winner (Painting) in Spain Zaragoza Expo, Zaragoza, Spain Co-curricular activities 2016 Club Art Center Korean Association President, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA 2015 Club Art Center Korean Association President, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA 2014 Club Art Center Korean Association President, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA San Marino League Luncheon Scholarship Recipient Exhibition, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA, USA Grapes vs. Grains, Art Center 100 Scholarship Recipient Exhibition, The California Club, Los Angeles, CA, USA

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