PS122 Gallery is pleased to present works by Lisa Dahl and Haejae Lee. PS122 Gallery is a not-for-profit alternative space which provides exhibition opportunities and support services for
emerging and under-recognized artists, and has just celebrated its 25th anniversary. The gallery is one of the only
non-profit spaces which allow unrepresented artists to show their work in two-person exhibitions. Lisa Dahl exhibits photographic work in There Goes the Neighborhood and Haejae Lee shows paintings in Postulated Space.
Lisa Dahl: There Goes the Neighborhood
“In my most recent series of paintings, There Goes the Neighborhood, I have taken either photographs of singular
houses or used images from real estate magazines and obliterated the structures under multiple layers of acrylic
paint. A wrinkled patina builds up that further emphasizes the new form each house takes on through this
painterly destruction. Between the outlined rooflines and architectural details, paired with the remaining
landscaping, the images are still recognizable as house forms, but this new structure has no form of entry – no
sense of the comfort we equate with our quintessential homes.
I have investigated the suburban home as a metaphor for the “American Dream” and its discontents for several
years now. As someone who grew up in many different states throughout the country, the common factor of my
upbringing was that I always lived in suburbia. The lack of urban planning that has occurred in the sprawling
development of the United States has created a culture of disconnect, but even city dwellers can’t help but equate
the single-family home with a level of success, comfort, and independence. Yet underlying these pleasant
associations, the disparate reality is often solitary lifestyles that leave you yearning for something more.”
Lisa Dahl received her MFA from Mason Rutgers University and a BA from Bowdoin College. She was born in
Minneapolis, MN and currently lives in Manhattan with a studio in Brooklyn. Website: www.lisadahlstudio.com
Haejae Lee: Postulated Space
“The concept of my work is based on the conceptual and psychological meanings of home. The great American
houses of the West draw me in particular because they seem to manifest a longing for a perfect home. Although a
great deal of emphasis is placed on the physical characteristics of actual space, the focus of my inquiry into home is
our idea of home. The interiors of the homes are described with true to life articulation. By avoiding the
interpretation of real space, I hope to encourage the emotional displacement of my audience. Ultimately, my goal
is to reexamine this postulated space and reconsider what we believe about it.
"Many people have an intimate relationship with a place called home. If not, they might feel the absence of this
place like I do, and have an intimate relationship with the idea of home instead. My immigration to the United Sates
as a teenager pushed me through many stages of unprepared adjustment. Without a home, I struggled with the
responsibility of providing a sense of safety for myself. My longing for a home is the motivation behind my project.
Through my paintings, my intention is to explore this space called home.”
Haejae Lee was born in Seoul, Korea. She came to the United States when she was 16 and started living without a
family until she went off to college. She received her MFA from Tyler School of Art and BFA from SUNY
Purchase College. Currently she has a studio in Brooklyn. Website: www.haejaelee.com
Haejae Lee is a Premiere Portfolio Artist at absolutearts.com. View more of her work at: http://www.absolutearts.com/portfolios/h/haejaelee/
IMAGE
Haejae Lee
Incognito
2005
Oil Painting
19 inches diameter
US$ 3500
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