Paul Lee's 'Layers For A Brain Corner' at Maccarone Los Angeles explores abstraction through towels and tambourines

Paul Lee's individual exhibition, 'Layers For A Brain Corner,' took place at Maccarone's Los Angeles gallery from May 21 to August 12, 2016. The show showcased four sizable wall drawings/sculptures crafted from bath towels and tambourine elements on uniquely shaped canvases. By dyeing the edges of towels with black ink, Lee produced 'negatives' that examined the fragility of life. His 'touch paintings' alluded to human forms and touch-screen technology. Critics, including Holland Cotter and Robert Hobbs, interpreted the towel designs as symbols of queer culture, while the exhibition leaned towards abstraction. Lee's color scheme featured muted lavenders and cornflower yellows, with lavender symbolizing gay pride. Influenced by Ellsworth Kelly and guided by Jack Pierson, Lee transitioned from soda can sculptures to painting. The gallery is situated at 300 South Mission Road, indicative of the neighborhood's evolution.