The Lobby Gallery Presents
Machines of Power and Other Fun Stuff
recent work by Lee Wells
July 23 through September 4, 2004
Opening reception: Friday July 23, 7-10:30pm
731 N. Sangamon
Chicago, IL 60622
312.952.1823 mobile
312.432.4327 voicemail
[email protected]
http://www.lobbygallery.com
The Lobby Gallery is proud to present this solo exhibition of New York
artist Lee Wells. The art featured is the newest in a body of work that he
has been exploring since 1998, called Studies for Hyper-elevated
Architecture. These works investigate systems of power and control, social
dynamics and color field theory.
The two series comprising Machines of Power and Other Fun Stuff create an
odd sense of nostalgia. The machines themselves are re-photographed images
of technological innovations such as fighter jets and rockets, primarily of
the Reagan-era arms race. They are presented along side the Kids series of
contemporaneous photographs of children playing and posing. In both series
Wells partially obscures the images with an irregular grid pattern painted
in acrylic. This results in a legible but incomplete and highly edited
image, which could be compared to a memory. Those of us old enough to have
experienced the cold war recognize ourselves or our children in the kids,
whilesimultaneously remembering the machines as symbols of national pride,
strength and protection against the enemy of the era. If more than a decade
after the collapse of the Soviet Union the machines look as silly and dated
as the kids' clothing, they are nevertheless a reminder of the lengths to
which we can be driven by fear, and a lens through which we might view our
present international situation.
A veteran of the United States Army, Lee Wells studied art at the University
of Chicago and Columbus College of Art and Design. He has exhibited
internationally in solo and group exhibitions, most recently in the
exhibition Objective Peace at the Historical Museum of the Infantry in Rome,
Italy. This spring he organized and curated the well-received exhibition
Active Duty: Armed Artists of America (AAA) at Studio 84 in Williamsburg,
Brooklyn. Lee currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.
Lee Wells at the Lobby Gallery
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Type: discussion
Comments
The Lobby Gallery Presents
Machines of Power and Other Fun Stuff
recent work by Lee Wells
July 23 through September 4, 2004
Opening reception: Friday July 23, 7-10:30pm
731 N. Sangamon
Chicago, IL 60622
312.952.1823 mobile
312.432.4327 voicemail
[email protected]
http://www.lobbygallery.com
The Lobby Gallery is proud to present this solo exhibition of New York
artist Lee Wells. The art featured is the newest in a body of work that he
has been exploring since 1998, called Studies for Hyper-elevated
Architecture. These works investigate systems of power and control, social
dynamics and color field theory.
The two series comprising Machines of Power and Other Fun Stuff create an
odd sense of nostalgia. The machines themselves are re-photographed images
of technological innovations such as fighter jets and rockets, primarily of
the Reagan-era arms race. They are presented along side the Kids series of
contemporaneous photographs of children playing and posing. In both series
Wells partially obscures the images with an irregular grid pattern painted
in acrylic. This results in a legible but incomplete and highly edited
image, which could be compared to a memory. Those of us old enough to have
experienced the cold war recognize ourselves or our children in the kids,
whilesimultaneously remembering the machines as symbols of national pride,
strength and protection against the enemy of the era. If more than a decade
after the collapse of the Soviet Union the machines look as silly and dated
as the kids' clothing, they are nevertheless a reminder of the lengths to
which we can be driven by fear, and a lens through which we might view our
present international situation.
A veteran of the United States Army, Lee Wells studied art at the University
of Chicago and Columbus College of Art and Design. He has exhibited
internationally in solo and group exhibitions, most recently in the
exhibition Objective Peace at the Historical Museum of the Infantry in Rome,
Italy. This spring he organized and curated the well-received exhibition
Active Duty: Armed Artists of America (AAA) at Studio 84 in Williamsburg,
Brooklyn. Lee currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.
this looks like great work - thanks for posting!
mark
lee wells wrote:
>
> The Lobby Gallery Presents
> Machines of Power and Other Fun Stuff
> recent work by Lee Wells
> July 23 through September 4, 2004
> Opening reception: Friday July 23, 7-10:30pm
>
> 731 N. Sangamon
> Chicago, IL 60622
> 312.952.1823 mobile
> 312.432.4327 voicemail
> [email protected]
> http://www.lobbygallery.com
>
> The Lobby Gallery is proud to present this solo exhibition of New York
> artist Lee Wells. The art featured is the newest in a body of work
> that he
> has been exploring since 1998, called Studies for Hyper-elevated
> Architecture. These works investigate systems of power and control,
> social
> dynamics and color field theory.
>
> The two series comprising Machines of Power and Other Fun Stuff create
> an
> odd sense of nostalgia. The machines themselves are re-photographed
> images
> of technological innovations such as fighter jets and rockets,
> primarily of
> the Reagan-era arms race. They are presented along side the Kids
> series of
> contemporaneous photographs of children playing and posing. In both
> series
> Wells partially obscures the images with an irregular grid pattern
> painted
> in acrylic. This results in a legible but incomplete and highly edited
> image, which could be compared to a memory. Those of us old enough to
> have
> experienced the cold war recognize ourselves or our children in the
> kids,
> whilesimultaneously remembering the machines as symbols of national
> pride,
> strength and protection against the enemy of the era. If more than a
> decade
> after the collapse of the Soviet Union the machines look as silly and
> dated
> as the kids' clothing, they are nevertheless a reminder of the lengths
> to
> which we can be driven by fear, and a lens through which we might view
> our
> present international situation.
>
> A veteran of the United States Army, Lee Wells studied art at the
> University
> of Chicago and Columbus College of Art and Design. He has exhibited
> internationally in solo and group exhibitions, most recently in the
> exhibition Objective Peace at the Historical Museum of the Infantry in
> Rome,
> Italy. This spring he organized and curated the well-received
> exhibition
> Active Duty: Armed Artists of America (AAA) at Studio 84 in
> Williamsburg,
> Brooklyn. Lee currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.
>