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55 Orchard Street, New York, New York 10002 212 989 5467 fax 212 989 5642
 
 

James Lecce
May 6 - June 12, 2010



For his new cycle of poured and layered acrylic paintings, James Lecce has set up a unique set of rules and challenges for each piece. Commencing with a predetermined palette, his acrylic polymer emulsions are carefully mixed to determine the translucency or opacity of each color. Also preset is the manner in which the paint will be manipulated, using various pouring, tilting, brushing, and pooling techniques, as well as the length of time between the manipulations. These decisions determine the specific look of individual paintings, yet all share core technical and aesthetic principles that make them work together as a group.
 
Inspired by the constantly changing rhythms and sheer power of nature and the sense of awe this evokes, Lecce's work also references music and rhythmic movement. His pouring and layering techniques allow for compositions that are engaged with activity and motion while simultaneously suggesting a figure-ground relationship. In these new paintings Lecce has chosen a cooler, lighter palette which provides a sense of purity, clarity, and open space within the paintings. For Lecce, these color choices are evocative of nascent growth and emergence, similar to buds in early springtime. As in earlier work, Lecce incorporates iridescent and metallic elements to give a seductive tone and sense of adornment to the paintings. They also serve to deliberately define the skeletal or armature-like forms developing within the compositions. These iridescent striations accent the forms coming into their own, swooping through and articulating the open spaces of the paintings and providing a sense of rapid flow or flight.
 
  James Lecce, Consort
Consort, 2010
Acrylic polymer emulsion
on canvas on panel
60 x 48 inches
James Lecce, Kodiak
Kodiak, 2010
Acrylic polymer emulsion
on canvas on panel
60 x 48 inches
James Lecce, Beechwood
Beechwood, 2010
Acrylic polymer emulsion
on canvas on panel
60 x 48 inches
  James Lecce, Armor
Armor, 2010
Acrylic polymer emulsion
on canvas on panel
38 x 30 inches
James Lecce, Gateway
Gateway, 2010
Acrylic polymer emulsion
on canvas on panel
Diptych, 42 x 24 inches each panel, 42 x 48 inches overall
James Lecce, Flyer
Flyer, 2010
Acrylic polymer emulsion
on canvas on panel
48 x 36 inches
  James Lecce, Reveille
Reveille, 2010
Acrylic polymer emulsion
on canvas on panel
38 x 30 inches
James Lecce, Buckeye
Buckeye, 2010
Acrylic polymer emulsion
on canvas on panel
30 x 24 inches
James Lecce, Summit
Summit, 2010
Acrylic polymer emulsion
on canvas on panel
30 x 24 inches
  James Lecce, Pinup
Pinup, 2010
Acrylic polymer emulsion
on canvas on panel
24 x 24 inches
James Lecce, Deeper
Deeper, 2010
Acrylic polymer emulsion
on canvas on panel
Diptych: 24 x 18 inches each panel, 24 x 36 inches overall
James Lecce, Sayonara
Sayonara, 2010
Acrylic polymer emulsion
on canvas on panel
30 x 24 inches
  James Lecce, instalation 1
Installation view
James Lecce, instalation 2
Installation view
James Lecce, instalation 3
Installation view
  James Lecce, instalation 4
Installation view
James Lecce, instalation 5
Installation view
James Lecce, instalation 6
Installation view
  James Lecce, instalation 7
Installation view
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55 Orchard Street, New York, New York 10002 212 989 5467 fax 212 989 5642
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