Martine belongs to Mata Lee’s series of introspective portraits, where the artist deepens her exploration of psychological sensitivity, feminine identity, and the silent power of the gaze. Here, the face fills the entire pictorial surface—a monumental, almost tactile presence that brings the viewer into intimate proximity with the skin. The artist intentionally abandons realistic proportions in favor of a purified aesthetic, characteristic of her visual language: a broad forehead, minimalist mouth, distant eyes, softened features, and the absence of hard lines.
The distinctiveness of this work lies in the delicate rendering of freckles, treated not as a decorative motif but as an expressive field. Their organic multiplication suggests both vulnerability and inner strength, as if the skin itself were a living territory—bearing history, sensitivity, and identity. Rosy, peach, and amber hues reveal a subtle human warmth that contrasts with the cool depth of the gaze.
The hair, painted in a gradient of mauve and rose, reinforces the emotional atmosphere of the piece. It frames the face like a symbolic veil, evoking softness, melancholy, and interiority. True to her approach, Mata Lee does not seek to portray an identifiable individual, but rather an archetypal figure—a psychological mirror in which the viewer projects their own sensibility.
The frontal, stripped-down composition establishes a direct encounter with the spectator: one cannot look away. Martine watches us as much as we watch her. This reciprocal dynamic creates a contemplative space, typical of the artist’s practice, where the opacity of the face becomes a terrain for emotional reading.
The work invites reflection on what is visible and what remains concealed, on the surface and the unseen, on judgment and tenderness.
Available at Galerie Québec Art: https://galeriequebecart.com/profile/mata-lee/
Martine belongs to Mata Lee’s series of introspective portraits, where the artist deepens her exploration of psychological sensitivity, feminine identity, and the silent power of the gaze. Here, the face fills the entire pictorial surface—a monumental, almost tactile presence that brings the viewer into intimate proximity with the skin. The artist intentionally abandons realistic proportions in favor of a purified aesthetic, characteristic of her visual language: a broad forehead, minimalist mouth, distant eyes, softened features, and the absence of hard lines.
The distinctiveness of this work lies in the delicate rendering of freckles, treated not as a decorative motif but as an expressive field. Their organic multiplication suggests both vulnerability and inner strength, as if the skin itself were a living territory—bearing history, sensitivity, and identity. Rosy, peach, and amber hues reveal a subtle human warmth that contrasts with the cool depth of the gaze.
The hair, painted in a gradient of mauve and rose, reinforces the emotional atmosphere of the piece. It frames the face like a symbolic veil, evoking softness, melancholy, and interiority. True to her approach, Mata Lee does not seek to portray an identifiable individual, but rather an archetypal figure—a psychological mirror in which the viewer projects their own sensibility.
The frontal, stripped-down composition establishes a direct encounter with the spectator: one cannot look away. Martine watches us as much as we watch her. This reciprocal dynamic creates a contemplative space, typical of the artist’s practice, where the opacity of the face becomes a terrain for emotional reading.
The work invites reflection on what is visible and what remains concealed, on the surface and the unseen, on judgment and tenderness.
Available at Galerie Québec Art: https://galeriequebecart.com/profile/mata-lee/
Available at Galerie Québec Art: https://galeriequebecart.com/profile/mata-lee/
