Dallas Art Fair: Doowon Lee

Doowon 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 during his journeys to Georgia, Pakistan, Nepal, Uzbekistan and beyond. He often partners with local artisans to create carpets and tapestries based on his original paintings.

In Lee's magical universe nature, animals, and humans are equals. He creates a humorous world free from 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. He continues to actively exhibit domestically and internationally and has been the recipient of several glowing reviews in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Vogue Magazine among others.