Lee L'Clerc

Few artists express themselves as eloquently on paper as on canvas: L'Clerc is the exception. He writes… "Although to speak about paintings is mainly to speak about what one thinks the painting is about, when painting is married to the word painting abandons its representational function and, instead, presents something entirely different - a proposition that is evaluated by the word."

Commenting "On Writing," is part of Lee L'Clerc's research for his doctoral dissertation. "The writing on the paintings," he states, "comes from various texts, yet I set out to deliberately make any possible reading of my writing impossible so that the letters would become images in their own right. The paintings are to be seen as an allegory of the difficulties of communication yet paintings in which the word is a form privileged over narrative."

Again, discussing architecture, he maintains that, "these 'basilicas' expand on the concept of architectural figures not in the sense of representation but as images referring only to themselves. These aren't images of actual buildings, but images that are related to a narrative of landmarks. These are images of architectural presence in relation to structure and form as part of a long tradition of humanist thought appearing throughout history."

Referring to heads and text, M. L'Clerc's intention is to suggest that either the image may duplicate certain of the information given in the text or that the text may add fresh information to the image. This is true even when the text is unreadable which therefore denies the existence of any relation to the image.

Color is used sparingly but sagaciously in works from this intellectual gentleman. His paintings are grippingly stunning, are captivating and glue the viewer to a spot. His works demand thought, yet bring joy to the beholder.