James Chiahan Lee

My name is James Lee Chiahan (李佳翰) and I was born in Tainan, Taiwan in 1990. My family immigrated to Ontario, Canada in 1994.

Today, I’m a visual artist based in Montréal, Quebec, working in oil paint and charcoal/graphite. I rely on a combination of imagined elements, direct reference from life, and mostly, photo reference taken by myself or family as a basis for my work.

I’m drawn to images that have a strong emotional resonance on a personal level and initially tends be difficult to articulate (a good sign). I use painting and drawing as a means to understand and document these moments, breaking them down in observation and exaggeration, hoping to reveal and share its emotional qualities with others.

My art can be described as rhythmic, elaborate, and dreamlike. I’m interested in expressing the bittersweetness of life and evoking a sense of remembrance at the core of my work.