Doowon Lee b. 1982
About
Doowon Lee is an artist who eschewed formal art education in favor of traveling the world, drawing inspiration and materials from his emotions, experiences, and nature. Growing up in a creative household, he was profoundly influenced by his father, a disciple of the renowned Namjonghwa master Uijae Huh Baek-ryun; his mother, who worked in the fashion industry; and his aunt, a graduate of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in France. Holding a cosmology that views nature, animals, and humans as one, Lee creates a humorous world free from the constraints of traditional forms and distinctions by seamlessly blending artificial and natural elements. His work incorporates natural fibers such as wool from Pakistan, hemp fabric from Nepal, and khadi cotton from India, combined with various locally sourced materials and Korean ink.
Lee has garnered significant critical and institutional recognition in recent years. In 2023, a solo exhibition was presented at the Saatchi Gallery in London and in 2024 Lee was selected as a representative artist for the Busan Biennale. In 2025 he was artist in residence at The Twenty Two, London and had his debut exhibition at ACA Galleries in New York. In 2026 Lee had his second solo exhibition at ACA Galleries. He continues to actively exhibit domestically and internationally and has been the recipient of several glowing reviews in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Vogue magazine among others.
Artworks
Exhibitions
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Doowon Lee
Doowon Arrives in New York with Too Many Animals Apr 25 - Jun 20, 2026Doowon Arrives in New York with Too Many Animals April 25 through June 20, 2026 ACA Galleries 173 Tenth Avenue, New York Opening Reception: Saturday, April 25, 3 to 5pm...Read more -
Doowon Lee
Doowon Arrives in New York with Too Many Animals - 529 Continuation Apr 25 - Jun 20, 2026Read more -
Doowon and the Golden Fish Submarine Arrive in New York
Apr 8 - May 31, 2025ACA Galleries is delighted to present Doowon and the Golden Fish Submarine Arrive in New York, the artist’s US debut. The solo exhibition will present a new body of work the artist has created over the past year while living in Hunza, Pakistan, featuring large scale paintings, mixed media works, and intricately patterned rugs. The new series expands upon the artist’s previous work inspired by his travels to Pakistan beginning in 2012.Read more
News
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London Fête: The Twenty Two x Doowon Lee, Prada Mode with Elmgreen & Dragset, and More
Erica Silverman, Whitewall Oct 28, 2025During Frieze London 2025, the British capital once again became a stage for art , design, and performance to intersect in striking new ways. Across...Read more -
What to See, Eat and Drink at Frieze London 2025
Pippa Lowe and Ella Clapton, SPHERE Magazine Oct 25, 2025As Regent's Park comes alive with the canvases and craze of Frieze London 2025, we’re spotlighting the standout artworks, foodie pop-ups and creative cocktails to...Read more -
NY Armory Week Shows 2025: Men and Women in Love
Jan Garden Castro, Whitehot Sep 9, 2025Finding versions of men and women in love is my theme for this year’s Armory week shows. Let’s dismiss the piles of melting or collapsing...Read more -
Tradition Reigns Supreme at the Armory Show
Brian P. Kelly, The Wall Street Journal Sep 6, 2025In troubled times, artists turn to tradition for succor. That seems to be the position of this year’s Armory Show, where much of the best...Read more -
10 Best Booths at The Armory Show 2025
Maxwell Rabb, Artsy Sep 5, 2025After a short, eventful summer, an energetic crowd descended on New York’s Javits Center as The Armory Show 2025 opened its VIP preview on Thursday,...Read more -
Daunted by the Sprawling Armory Show? Try These 13 Certified Winners.
Will Heinrich and Walker Mimms, The New York Times Sep 4, 2025September is busy for the art world in New York. Hometown galleries open their most important shows, and a cluster of fairs bring together collectors...Read more -
A Guide to the Seoul Art Scene
ArtReview Aug 31, 2025What makes an art scene? There are the artists. There are the gallerists, museum directors and collectors who provide the platforms on which those artists’...Read more
Museum Shows
Art Fairs
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Dallas Art Fair
Doowon Lee Apr 16 - 19, 2026Doowon Lee (b. 1982) is a self-taught South Korean artist whose practice is inseparable from movement, drawing inspiration from nature and using local materials discovered...Read more -
The Armory Show
Doowon Lee Sep 5 - 7, 2025ACA Galleries is delighted to present a solo exhibition of new work by Doowon Lee at the Armory Show September 5th through 7th. The exhibition...Read more