Stewart Lees

The final work in Stewart Lees’ series of small still life paintings takes as its subject a digestif: a glass of Gènèpi, the herbal liqueur made from alpine plants. In this composition, Lees explores the contrast between reflective glass, warm amber tones and the soft, crumbly texture of the blue cheese arranged alongside it. Grounded in close observation, Lees’ work focuses on the relationships between light, surface and material rather than strict photographic precision. The subtle reflections within the glass, the metallic sheen of the foil and the varied textures of the cheese are handled with restraint and clarity, allowing ordinary objects to become studies in colour, balance and form.