New York City artist Jason H. Lee has launched a new exhibition featuring portraits of celebrities, criticizing society’s glorification of celebrities. The exhibit is entitled “GOT EM!” and can be seen at the Crossing Art gallery in New York City.
Featuring portraits of Travis Scott, Virgil Abloh and Michael Jordan, Lee’s portraits are made from hundreds of individual black dot stickers over canvas, as well as paint. The paintings are up to thirteen-and-a-half feet tall and blend aspects of splatter art and portraits to create a unique artwork.
Inspired after watching the popular docuseries, The Last Dance, Lee was fascinated with the cultural sensation of the Air-Jordan sneaker. Jordan was one of the most glorified figures in the world and his image translated to a commercial success with his signature shoe. With the gallery largely focusing on the Air Jordan brand and their celebrity partners, Lee hopes to start a conversation amongst attendees regarding commoditization and possession.
Everything from the painting’s size to their imagery is to spark this conversation amongst attendees. Likening his art to the work of Andy Warhol, Lee sees his work as similar to Warhol’s who focused on painting everyday objects. Instead, Lee is painting cultural icons we all know and causing many to have a discussion as to if their glorification is justified.
Those interested in viewing the gallery must make a reservation online ahead of time, however the gallery itself is free. “GOT EM!” will remain on display at Crossing Art till February 28th.
