Alexa Guevara on Doris Lee’s Spillway

“An audacious self portrait to capture one of the most successful female artists of her era. The positioning of the figure is very similar to a classic nineteenth century French portrait but unlike traditional portraits of women, Doris Lee is not hyper sexualized.

There doesn’t feel to be a performance for a man’s gaze. This portrait is as refreshing as the water and as free as the bird soaring above. I was drawn to this painting because of how it portrays women. The viewer can see that she is not dainty, rather she is simply bathing after a hard day’s work. Channeling Lee’s bold spirit this piece feels empowering to women as not being portrayed as an object of desire.”