My work explores transformation and uncertainty, drawing inspiration from the Daoist philosopher Zhuangzi, who used humor and paradox to reveal a world in constant flux. Like Zhuangzi's butterfly dream—where he couldn't tell if he was a man dreaming he was a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming he was a man—my art embraces ambiguity and multiple perspectives.
My paintings of imaginary landscapes contain dozens of viewpoints that ripple and shift simultaneously. Inspired by the 10th century painting technique called the "angle of totality," these landscapes invite the viewer to wander through a dreamworld outside normal distance and time.
This multiplicity extends throughout my practice. In poem paintings, I layer handwritten texts hundreds of times, creating secrets within secrets. I create watercolors that capture transitional light behind threadbare curtains. My monotypes transform household scraps—fruit rinds, paper towels—into landscapes, revealing hidden value in mundane objects. These imprints, titled with my translations of Classical Chinese poetry, celebrate the temporary and overlooked.
Biography. James David Lee (b. 1983) is a painter and bookmaker working in San Francisco. He studied book arts at Yale University, art history at the Sorbonne University in Paris, classical Chinese literature at National Taiwan University, and holds a JD degree from Stanford Law School. His work is in the collection of the Yale University Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, the Yale University Arts of the Book Collection, and the Collection of Kaitlyn and Mike Krieger.