Racine Art Museum presents Christine Lee. Interlocked, an exhibition on view August 3, 2012 – July 21, 2013.
Christine Lee Study for RAM Windows Installation, detail Salvaged wood and sawdust
Linking her aesthetic and creative sensibilities with a desire to explore ways in which human beings understand and utilize our environment, artist Christine Lee creates installations that both delight and encourage contemplation. With a background in woodworking and furniture design, Lee manipulates and configures a variety of surplus items, such as recycled or salvaged wood, phone books, and fire hoses, to create her work. Through a process of building, rearranging, and deconstructing, she embarks on an investigation of materials that ultimately suggests a new way to understand everyday objects. As the artist states: “I view the original purpose of any material as merely a suggestion or starting point for a multitude of possibilities…repetitive tasks such as coiling, folding, interlacing, and stacking allow me to develop an understanding and appreciation for a material beyond its common associations and intended function.
While the rhythmic process of creating her work engages the artist in a personal and meditative journey, Lee also understands the potential value for those who are viewing or interacting with the installation. Her involvement with materials and her emphasis on bringing attention to overproduction, consumption, and waste can stimulate further thought about how and why conversations regarding sustainability are important. www.ramart.org