Vincent van Velsen:

Mire Lee’s slow-moving, dripping sculptures are repulsive and appealing at the same time. They pulsate, make sounds, and each movement is different from the previous one – all this makes them fascinating. The works appear to be alive, but nevertheless they are mechanical. Although they are constructed with fairly hard materials, the syrupy substance in which they are coated makes the works soft and tangible, too. For Lee, the interaction with the materials during the process of making is extremely important. It’s a relationship between human and material that borders on the masochistic. It’s an attempt to shape the sculpture according to the wishes of its creator, using physical force, tools, and willpower. The material protests and resists: it is either bend or break, for both parties. So it’s no surprise that Lee talks about vulnerability, while the work on display resembles different types of skin. This exposure to the outside world, leaving the inner one open to stimuli relates to Bipolar Affective Disorder and the absence of a natural defense to externalities. Mire is interested in forms of exchange, including fetishistic obsession, voyeurism, perversions, violations, and forms of violence. This is where her sculptures emanate from, and just as with all interactions: they always produce reciprocal residue.