Leigh Wells (*1964, lives and works in Sausolito, California) works almost classically with the means of collage. Her abstract, reduced works, which have something archaic about them as a result of this reduction, give voice to deeply felt mental and emotional states. Their expressive tension is heightened by deliberate spatial and narrative ambiguity. Colored painted surfaces, geometrically cut out, are combined with elements from historical, exquisitely printed black and white illustrations from art books. Organic, sensual-looking surfaces and purely colored sections are subtly complemented by discrete pencil elements – whether line or shading, which emphasize the abstract compositions with tactile vibrancy and additional relief and rhythm. Sometimes there are also painted interventions that create a contrasting encounter between the more or less smooth surfaces through visible brushstrokes.

The result is abstract, delicately balanced, dynamic compositions that are not least reminiscent of musically inspired variations.