Lerner’s work considers the material properties of paint, the history of the medium, and how it can be used to explore the universal condition. As in the work of Jack Whitten, they use ‘formal as a means to arrive at subject’ with surface, edge, colour and composition being utilised to bring into being characteristics undervalued within our contemporary society. Rooted in daily observation, Lerner’s sustained attention to the overlooked urban environment is echoed in the studio where all items are viewed with a curiosity for the application (or removal) of paint; bubble wrap, corrugated cardboard and textured wallpaper sit happily alongside the traditional tools of brushes, tape, rags and pallet knives. Within each finished work, nuance takes precedence over the brash and quietness is given weight, for these are paintings unconcerned with specific topics but instead seek to raise questions around how we approach discussions on the divisive issues of our times.