Whatever Things Are Lovely
Underground Gallery
7 June — 28 June 2023Whatever Things are Lovely presents Nicole Tee’s response against current susceptibilities to fleeting and perfunctory images. It’s an attempt to resist the often exciting but disorienting language of short - form content or the undistinguishable likeness of influencer-led trends. Of course, the artist herself isn’t immune to these things. And like others , these susceptibilities have elicited feelings of exasperation and ennui. Hence, the overwhelming need to move against prevalent modes of seeing and producing that has captured most of our days.
Presenting works in threes, Tee translates works in textile, digital print on paper, and paint on canvas. As before, this process forces her to attend to the slowness of oil painting or the detailed devotion require d of sewing . Here is repetition that extends the temporal gap between reproductions , insisting on a copy that isn’t instantaneous but instead , allows for space that can accommoda te gradual changes and transformations. Ornamentation and texture are surfaced and earnestly recreated. In as much as Tee returns to these aspects in her visual language, they also serve as processual vehicles to help practice patience and steadfast mindfulness.
The textile works show a range of processes , such as embroidery and natural dyeing, that Tee utilizes in other creative , homemaking endeavors. These textiles are photographed and reproduced on crumpled paper , translating their folds into another material’s creases. They similarly serve as basis for painted images of fabric-wrapped gifts (referencing the Japanese wrapping cloth or furoshiki), which by themselves elicit experiences of waiting. It is an imagery that holds gratification at bay, reveling in the anticipation of a thing that is hoped to be unexpected and lovely. Ultimately, Tee reiterates the value of choosing what to attend to or what to devote our hours for. It is an insistence to provide space for things that we find meaningful, that gives way to sincere reflection, and may allow for us a life that is felt and well-lived.
— JC Rosette