Jane Lee creates 'In Praise of Silence' at STPI Creative Workshop & Gallery

Held between structured frames that serve as a contrast to the serendipitous compositions put together by Jane Lee, STPI Creative Workshop & Gallery will soon host a solo exhibition by the artist in their Singapore space, from July 29 to September 3, 2023. Curated by Tan Siuli, the exposition, In Praise of Silence 寂靜在說話, will display 49 artworks by the artist. The wide range of works comprise “a measured, monochromatic new series that explores light and shadow, black and white, yin and yang, as fundamental principles that shape our understanding of the world around us.”

The upcoming exhibition will present artworks characterised by parred down hues, unlike Lee’s previous showcase—entitled Freely, Freely—at STPI in 2016, which utilised a playful mix of colours. These pieces were created by the artist during her latest residency at STPI. Influenced by Eastern philosophy and an intentional incline towards austerity in form and expression, the artworks exhibit the many contrasts possible within a frame that condenses hues of the same colour. “The new dimensions in her artistic practice are a testament to the spirit of trust and collaboration between the artist and STPI’s workshop team. These works reveal deep expertise and innovation to exceed material boundaries and known papermaking techniques,” reads a description from the official press release.

It is the jagged and broken lines separating these monochromatic substances that imbue the artworks with patterns that appear to convey a message. In some artworks, the artist juxtaposes saturated blots against washed down backgrounds, in an attempt to highlight striations and blotches. In a few other works, the egg shells, and the play of light and shadow upon them injects the art with a dynamism usually apparent in sculptural works.

The title of the exhibition, In Praise of Silence 寂靜在說話, too, expresses the ethos of the sculptural art showcase. It is derived from prominent Japanese author, the late Jun'ichiro Tanizaki’s essay, In Praise of Shadows, which propounds “the existence of shadows as an accent for beauty.” Jane Lee’s recent works borrow from this idea, while also taking inspiration from Dao De Jing or The Book of the Way, a Chinese classic text—dating back to 400 BC—that promotes simplicity, patience, and compassion. “This new cycle of her practice is clearly embodied in the profound minimalism and intense focus on the idea of the absolute, bringing to fore a primordial quality to her latest works,” the gallery shares.

The egg sculptures, cast in STPI’s paper room, symbolise the notion of birth and rebirth. But in the two artworks 1 to 2 and 2 to 3, the motif of egg is depicted in its cracked state, “echoing the binary forces held within the contours of a circle — a void, the end of a single whole, but also the birth of new life and new energy.” On the other hand, in be - still and be - silence, the two halves of the egg shell, the insides of which have been inscribed with the mantras of ‘Be Still’ and ‘Be Silence’, depicts the process of a breakthrough of consciousness or enlightenment.

Some of Lee’s sculptures are also the result of the incorporation of crystals into her material field. Supported by the expertise of the STPI Creative Workshop, she found some innovate ways in which semi-precious stones could be imbedded onto handmade paper. Against the rough textured and subtly coloured egg shells, the lustre of these stones stands out. This is apparent in the om series, which comprises artworks made using minerals such as amethyst, lapis lazuli, jade, citrine, and more.

Lee’s practice straddles both painting and sculpture, sitting under neither, yet evoking images of both. The Singaporean artist is especially known for innovating with materials to capture and communicate her vision. She employs the processes of layering, tearing, rolling, mixing, weaving and other known methods of crafting and creating, in a combination that results in unique artworks. The artist’s expertise in innovation, entrenched with a new understanding of subtleties and quietness will be emoted through her upcoming exhibition in Singapore.

Jane Lee’s solo exhibition ‘In Praise of Silence 寂靜在說話’ will be on view at STPI Creative Workshop & Gallery in Singapore from July 29 to September 3, 2023.