Jamie Lee Wandel

“In the Cave Series, the technical geometry of the mats is replaced by the claustrophobic weight of the subterranean. These works examine the psychological landscape of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu—the ‘cave’ we enter when the world outside the roll disappears. By juxtaposing the human form with organic, almost alien floral elements and cold, structural whites, I am exploring the tension between the biological and the strategic. The figures are no longer playing a game in a gym; they are entangled in a primal, ecological struggle. It is an exploration of the ‘dark flora’ of movement—the beautiful, often jarring patterns that emerge when the body is pushed into extreme, isolated spaces.”

“In the Hands Holding Shells series, the focus shifts from the full-body entanglement of sport to the micro-geometry of the grip. These works strip away the environment, isolating the human hand against a neutral, atmospheric void to examine the tension between organic form and brittle object. Where the BJJ series treats bodies as ‘human origami,’ these studies treat the hand as a landscape of its own—a complex map of knuckle, tendon, and skin. By juxtaposing the warmth of the living hand with the cold, calcium-white of the shells, the series explores the tactile ‘sentence’ of a hold. It is an investigation into how we grasp, protect, and interact with the fragile structures of the natural world.”

“In the Work Rest Play series, the human figure is replaced by the rhythmic, spotted patterns of the Dalmatian. This series examines the architecture of instinctual movement—mapping the shift between the chaotic joy of play, the structured labor of work, and the heavy stillness of rest. By utilizing a high-vantage ‘plan view,’ I treat the canvas as a tactical map where the subjects become living markers of time and energy. The series explores how a single form—defined by high-contrast pattern—can convey vastly different emotional weights depending on its relationship to the surrounding space and the invisible ‘gravity’ of its task.”

“This diptych functions as a formal inquiry into the dialogue between static and kinetic architecture. By pairing a monolithic ceramic form (Top) with the high-tension, fluid engagement of a Jiu-Jitsu exchange (Bottom), the work examines how weight and gravity are perceived across disparate subjects. In this composition, the ceramic vessel serves as a “tether”—a grounded, sculptural anchor that reflects the same emotional and physical density found in the figures below. The choice of wood panel as a substrate allows for a level of precision and detail in the brushwork that emphasizes the sensory realism of both the smooth ceramic and the muscular tension of the roll.”