A Unique Take on Geometric Abstraction at Brett Rubbico Gallery, Newport Beach,CA

Artist David Michael Lee's solo exhibition at Brett Rubbico Gallery in Newport Beach portrays a unique take on hard edge geometric abstract painting. This series called "Spaced Out" includes a range of works that are painted on top of canvas made of hemp. This creates a nubby, textured surface, surprising for this kind of painting where we usually see a slick, or very smooth surface.The quality of the surfaces feel more intimate, and a bit more personal as if Lee is trying to tell us something about his personal view of space and geometry in general. The color palette is specifically limited to a small range of colors and values in all the works however there are two background colors - black and sky blue, which appear to represent day and night. There is an interesting dimensionality created with a thinly veiled layer of paint which gives us the idea of a "fourth" dimension to the works. The large works create a stark visual space, both literal and imagined and their black backgrounds enhance the dimensionality of the pieces. The light blue background works are generally smaller in size, and draw us more into the negative spaces of the paintings. Brett Rubbico painted the floors of the gallery all white to match the walls and ceiling which gives the viewer an interesting context for seeing the work where we aren't exactly sure what is 'ceiling' and what is 'floor'. This further enhances the viewing the paintings. This exhibition is on view for a month, and well worth a visit.