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• Lee Lee at Weilworks Lee Lee at Weilworks
• Tracy Weil of Weilworks Tracy Weil of Weilworks
• Opening Night "Weave" Opening Night "Weave"
• Weilworks Weilworks
• "Weave" "Weave"
• "Weave" "Weave"
• Weilworks Weilworks
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“Weave” is a collection of paintings reflecting the social, political and emotional manifestations of the ancient art of weaving.

Lee Lee's figurative paintings are the result of travels through China, Myanmar and South Carolina. Capturing weavers in their daily rituals, the paintings blend man and machine in a celebration of the ancient art and a contemplative measure of the gains and losses of our global times.

"The loud clang of industrial mass production is frequent in China these days," says the Denver native. "Well-known for its sweat shop style of labor, it’s an ominous forecast for the future."

"Two years ago I was there and photographed a silk mill outside of Shanghai. Under fluorescent lights, the colors of steel and cement are cold, edges sharp. The women working the mill have their backs turned or their faces obscured. The fast and chaotic movement of the mass production is echoed through high energy brushstrokes."

In contrast, ancient forms of hand weaving are still practiced in places like Burma (Myanmar), where Lee Lee recently spent time with a family of weavers. The experience left the artist with contradictions that she explored through paintings.

"Their shop was the first floor of their home, stilted over Inle lake. The organic qualities of their massive hand hewn looms fill the room with the soft atmosphere of wood and cotton," says Lee Lee. "They live under one of the most oppressive regimes today, which has resulted in a boycott of Myanmar by most countries. I wanted to reflect this existence of being completely cut off from the modern world by embedding the figures deep within the architecture of their looms. They are as visually separate from us, as they are culturally."

Closer to home, Lee Lee explores cotton mills in southeastern U.S, brick factories abandoned for cheap labor and lower environmental standards found elsewhere in the world. Lee Lee's great grandmother worked at a mill in Anderson, South Carolina for most of her life.

"She took me there before she died," she said. "I photographed the structures as a perfect reflection of how manufacturing has continued to leave our borders over the years."

The exhibition debuts on Friday, June 1st with an opening reception from 6 to 9pm, and continues through June 29th, 2007.

About Weilworks Gallery
Weilworks is located in River North, in the Platte River Valley. Owned and operated by Denver artist Tracy Weil, the Weilworks Gallery boasts three stories of exhibition space, including a 1,000-square-foot first floor gallery, a second floor art landing, and Denver’s first Exhibition Tower offering inspiring views of downtown Denver and the Front Range.

For more information, contact Weilworks Gallery at 303.308.9345, or go to www.weilworks.com