About the Object

BLY-1602 was created by layering blue paint atop yellow, and then removing the blue through repetitive mark making. The result creates a sharp and dynamic burst at the core where the artist’s hand is heaviest, becoming more loose as the lines shift outward.

Additional Information

During his studies at Pratt Institute, where he earned an MFA in painting, Il Lee minored in printmaking, fascinated with the sharpness of the technique and etching needle. The influence of printmaking can be seen throughout his body of work, but is most obvious in his paintings. In Lee’s paintings, he creates lines through reductive mark making, echoing the process of etching by removing material to create grooves that are not filled with ink; these grooves are later revealed when the plate is transferred on paper. Similarly, Lee creates grooves in his paintings by removing top layers of paint to reveal the color below.