<Judgment of Freedom> Oil on canvas ( painting installation,2004)

Judgement of Freedom  2004  Oil on canvas (part of the painting installation)  200 x 200cm 

    "  Freedom, a theme so intangible yet complex is questioned through “Judgement of Freedom”, where I seek to view the theme from different levels and various aspects: of the obvious, the superficiality of freedom, the interplay of the subconscious mind, the interdependence and the intangible. The large hands appear to be pressing against the imaginary cage depicted by the pure white lines (ironic that the purity constricts the hands). The shadows of the rib cage are casted on the painting, but not on the white cage lines. Thus, is it our subconscious mind that tells us it is a cage? Also, though the individual panels are separated and exist freely, they are still constrained within a big canvas. The ropes which run through each panel serve to tie them up altogether. When the viewer enters the set up, is he/she trapped within the white space which is an extension of the imaginary white cage lines?"--LEE Hui Lian (2004)