Installation view of American artist Austin Lee's solo exhibition, "Passing Time," at the Lotte Museum of Art in southern Seoul / Courtesy of LMOA
Stepping into the debut solo exhibition of American artist Austin Lee in Seoul feels like embarking on a roller coaster ride through emotions — a familiar experience for many who have navigated the highs and lows of isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 40-year-old’s show, “Passing Time,” at the Lotte Museum of Art (LMOA), is a hazy, dreamlike landscape fused with digital technology, featuring more than 50 of his signature cartoon-like paintings, sculptures and videos.
New York-based artist Austin Lee / Courtesy of LMOA
Lee’s creative process begins with simple digital 3D sketches, which are then brought to life as tangible, airbrush-painted canvas works or life-size sculptures. Their bleary visuals, seemingly pulled straight out of the artist’s subconscious, capture a mixture of emotions — joy, sorrow and anguish — all intertwined in one lumpy mass.
“Fountain,” unveiled at the LMOA for the first time, depicts the artist lying listlessly on his stomach in the middle of a blue void, arms spread wide, while a single stream of water gushes out of his mouth.
The sculpture, with its playfully offbeat charm, provides a moment of quiet contemplation as visitors are invited to gaze at the flowing water that seems to have replaced a pool of tears.
Austin Lee's "Fountain" (2023) / Courtesy of LMOA
Lee’s 2021 painting, “Cry Baby,” alludes to his brief stint as an amateur boxer in high school, but with a surreal twist, as it shows a boxer half-submerged in a misty body of water.
The athlete raises both of his gloved arms above his head while weeping. It’s left to the viewers to interpret whether these tears result from a triumphant celebration after a victorious match or a struggle to contain a wave of emotions after a defeat. Or, they may symbolize both simultaneously, as “only those who have experienced sadness in life can truly understand the meaning of jubilation,” the museum said in a statement.
Austin Lee's "Flower Hill" (2023) / Courtesy of LMOA
After taking visitors on a mystical journey of time and emotions, the show ends on a rather joyful note with the animated “Flower Hill.”
Lee’s lemon-hued video of anthropomorphic flowers dancing endlessly on a grassy mound from sunrise to sunset fills the gallery’s three walls, visualizing not only the inevitable passage of time but also the excitement of welcoming the upcoming New Year.
“Passing Time” runs through Dec. 31 at the Lotte Museum of Art.
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