Lee Maxey’s work focuses on the mundane, transforming familiar scenes into queer symbols of a controlling, mystical world. Growing up in an apocalyptic religious household, her paintings shift from a focus on the future to the present, revealing the beauty and mystery in everyday life. This tension between routine and an unseen “plan” evokes unease, accentuated through formal techniques. Working in egg tempera, a medium rich in history as a tool of persuasion, Maxey’s imagery explores themes of power across domestic scenes, games, and landscapes, with figures often positioned centrally to emphasize their iconic, spiritual presence. Paranoia, stemming from her upbringing, remains a key theme, reflecting the lingering influence of apocalyptic thought in contemporary American life.

Lee Maxey received her MFA from Boston University (2016) and her BFA from the University of Central Arkansas (2011). Selected solo and two-person exhibitions include Olympia (Solo, New York, NY, 2024, 2021), 12.26 Gallery (Solo, Dallas, TX, 2023), Yutaka Kikutake Gallery (Two-Person, Tokyo, Japan, 2023), and the artist-run space Hercules Art/Studio Program (Solo, New York, NY, 2019).

Recent group shows include Deanna Evans Projects (New York, NY, 2024), miart (Olympia, Milan, Italy, 2024), Felix Art Fair (12.26, Los Angeles, CA, 2024), Able Baker Contemporary (Portland, ME, 2021), and The Bureau of General Services: Queer Division (New York, NY, 2019).

Forthcoming projects include NARANJO 141 (Group, Mexico City, Mexico, 2025) and 12.26 (Solo, Dallas, TX, 2025).

A solo presentation of Maxey’s work at NADA Miami (Miami, FL, 2022) was selected for the Curated Spotlight by Joeonna Bellorado-Samuels. Maxey was an Artist in Residence at NARANJO 141 (Mexico City, Mexico, 2024), the Hercules Studio/Art Program (New York, NY, 2019), and the Fire Island Artist Residency (Fire Island, NY, 2018). Maxey lives and works in Brooklyn.

CV