Gianni Lee
Skeletal Sculpture Version 1, 2022
Vinyl sculpture
12 x 2 x 9"
Edition 1/12

Artist Statement

*Skeletal Sculpture V1* is a three-dimensional embodiment of my signature themes: mortality, resilience, and identity. This limited-edition 12-inch work features a winged skeletal warrior rendered in pink and black, outfitted with eclectic armor - including a flowing red scarf and an oversized sword - all characteristics drawn from my visual lexicon developed on city walls. The figure's exposed bones confront the viewer with the reality of mortality, while its defiant stance (wings outstretched and weapon in hand) evokes a sense of resilience in the face of adversity. By stripping the human form down to its skeletal essence, I explore identity beyond surface differences: the skeleton becomes a universal avatar, a reminder that beneath the skin, we share a common framework even as we each imbue it with our own personal and cultural narrative.

My skeletal motifs draw inspiration from humanity's earliest storytelling imagery - the pictorial languages of ancient hieroglyphics and cave drawings. I regard these recurring skeleton figures as my form of hieroglyphs, a multilayered symbolic language through which I communicate personal and cultural narratives. Over the years, armies of these colorful skeletons have populated my murals and paintings, often dancing across city facades in unified formations. With *Skeletal Sculpture V1*, I translate that motif from mural to sculpture, bringing the archetype into tangible form. This shift from wall to three-dimensional space marks a new chapter for my *Skeletal Warriors* - one that honors their origins in street art even as it reimagines them as intimate objects that a viewer can physically hold and inspect. In this sculptural incarnation, the skeleton figure becomes an object of contemplation, inviting the audience to engage with it up close and from all angles, as both an art toy and a totem of the ideas it represents.

Artist Bio

Gianni Lee is a multidisciplinary artist whose work interrogates themes of identity, resilience, history, and technology across fine art, music, and fashion. Based between New York and Philadelphia, Lee creates paintings, murals, sculptures, and sonic landscapes that merge personal narrative with broader cultural commentary. His practice is deeply rooted in Afrofuturism, using speculative world-building to envision alternate realities for Black existence. Through this lens, his work challenges viewers to reconsider contemporary social dynamics while celebrating the endurance and innovation of marginalized communities.

Lee's signature skeleton figures have become a defining visual emblem of his storytelling. Inspired by ancient African hieroglyphics and cave drawings, these skeletal characters serve as modern-day visual hieroglyphs-symbols that communicate cultural resilience, historical erasure, and the complexities of identity. Whether appearing in large-scale murals or detailed paintings, these figures navigate Lee's dystopian yet hopeful landscapes, often portrayed as warriors or spectral messengers. Their presence speaks to survival, transformation, and the ongoing dialogue between the past and the future.

GianniLee.com

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