Lemon 1971

Leo Dee made this drawing of a lemon sometime in the 20th century, though with this soft palette, it could be from almost any era. There’s something so simple about it. You can tell it’s a lemon, but it’s also kind of an idea of a lemon. Dee’s process is really about tone and texture. The way he builds up the surface with tiny marks reminds me of Seurat and pointillism, but there’s something more subdued about the work. The lemon is suspended, or is it supported by this kind of grey form which is almost like a vase? It’s not quite clear, and that’s what makes it interesting. Look closely and you can see the texture of the paper, and then how Dee has painstakingly built up the tones with such tiny marks. The light and shadow almost make the lemon glow. Ultimately, this drawing makes me think about Agnes Martin, another artist who found so much possibility in simplicity.