Lemon 1975 - 1976

Editor: So, this drawing is called "Lemon" by Leo Dee, made sometime between 1975 and 1976. It's surprisingly captivating for such a simple subject; it makes me want a glass of lemonade! What do you see when you look at this piece? Curator: Well, first off, the simplicity is rather deceptive, isn't it? It's just a lemon, suspended almost, in a field of cream. It reminds me of Morandi, actually – that same quiet contemplation of everyday objects, imbued with a sort of meditative quality. It feels incredibly deliberate. Do you notice the way the shadow is rendered? It almost seems to cradle the lemon. Editor: I do, it's like a gentle pillow underneath it! Curator: Exactly! It makes me wonder about stillness, and perhaps fleeting moments – the lemon at its peak ripeness, before it's juiced or begins to wither. Perhaps it's about appreciating the small things, savoring them before they vanish. What do you think Dee wanted us to contemplate by isolating it this way? Editor: Hmm, it could also be about the lemon itself as an object. The texture seems almost hyperreal in its detail, inviting us to examine its skin, pores and imperfections. Is it just about *seeing*? Curator: Yes, precisely. And that invites us to look closer at *everything* around us. Imagine Dee, intensely observing the lemon for hours, distilling its essence onto paper... Makes me want to spend more time just *looking*. Thanks! Editor: I never thought a lemon could hold so much, thank you. I'll certainly look at lemons – and art – differently from now on!