San José Museum of Art

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Il Lee: Ballpoint Abstractions

  • Thin lines crisscross across the page delicately. In eight areas the cross-hatching becomes so dense they appear to become chaotic furry black balls.

    Il Lee, Untitled 978 Q, 1997-1998. Ballpoint pen on paper, 82 x 61 inches. Courtesy of the Artist and Art Projects International (API), New York.

  • Thin lines stretch across the page horizontally and are different widths. There are so many, densely layered lines the center of the page is solid black. About halfway down the page, there is an abrupt transition in which all the lines begin in unison.

    Il Lee, Untitled 302, 2002. Ballpoint pen on paper, 30 x 22 ½ inches. Courtesy of the Artist and Art Projects International (API), New York.

  • Dark vertical slashes line up side by side. On the right of each dash are dark shadows. Upon closer inspection, the shadows are created from crossing multitudes of tiny blue lines. They are akin to a dense forest of trees without leaves or branches.

    Il Lee, BK-002, 2006. Ballpoint pen on canvas, 80 x 127 inches. Courtesy of the Artist and Art Projects International (API), New York.

  • Thousands of blue lines cross chaotically across the page. In many areas, the lines overlap so densely that dark patches appear to burn away the surface upon which they are drawn.

    Il Lee, BL-071, 2006. Ballpoint pen on canvas, 75 x 115 inches. Courtesy of the Artist and Art Projects International (API), New York.

  • Dark vertical slashes are stacked up and down the page. On the right of each dash are dark shadows. Upon closer inspection, it is revealed that the shadows are created from crossing blue lines.

    Il Lee, BL-075, 2006. Ballpoint pen on paper, 60 x 84 inches. Courtesy of the Artist and Art Projects International (API), New York.

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    Using the unique medium he has cultivated since the 1980s—the humble ballpoint pen on paper, and more recently, canvas—Lee creates works that are abstract, yet express the dynamic, unbridled power of nature. This was the Brooklyn-based artist’s first major museum survey exhibition, and spanned the previous 25 years of his work.

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    Sponsors

    • Morgan Lewis
    • Yvonne and T. Michael Nevens
    • Lewis & Bockius LLP
    • Korean Cultural Service, New York and Los Angeles