West, London
Austin Lee
Divine Fool
Carl KostyálCarl Kostyál is delighted to present a new body of work by Las Vegas-born, New York based artist Austin Lee. The exhibition, Divine Fool, marks the artist’s fifth solo exhibition with the gallery, and invites viewers to see the world through his eyes and reflect on the complexities of the human mind. In Divine Fool, Lee blends the sacred with the absurd. The exhibition asks viewers to consider the figure the fool, not only as the court jester or idiot savant of old, but its present day, perhaps gentler, incarnation - a figure who embodies both wisdom and innocence. The exhibition also serves as a testament to Lee’s enduring love for painting itself, and his deep admiration for artists who have shaped his own creative journey. His references to artists such as Giacometti, Itō Jakuchū and others reveal his dialogue with art history. Lee’s passion for the process of painting—whether through traditional oils or digital tools—underscores his dedication to exploring the medium’s infinite possibilities. In Divine Fool, Lee pays homage to the act of painting, not only as a method of expression but as a celebration of the craft and its practitioners across time. A highlight of the show is a large, pink elephant-like figure set against a vivid blue and pink background. The smooth, flowing lines and exaggerated proportions of the figure evoke Itō Jakuchū's ‘Elephant’, where simplicity of form is imbued with expressive power. Just as Jakuchū’s depiction blends minimalism with a meditative calm, Lee's elephant occupies a space between the playful and the profound. A tall, ultramarine blue human form stands at the heart of the gallery. Its elongated body, reminiscent of Giacometti’s iconic figures, holds a single paintbrush in its mouth— suggesting a moment of serene contemplation. Here, the artist's body and brush become one, evoking stillness, deep observation. In another piece, a painting of a sleeping figure in deep blue tones captures peaceful introspection. The figure’s closed eyes and calm posture suggest a retreat from the world, invoking spiritual depth. Lee’s portrayal hints at the boundary between dream and reality, a central theme in both surrealism and psychoanalysis. Lee is known for his digital-to-physical process, using 3D software to create compositions that he transfers to canvas through airbrushing, giving his works a soft, glowing energy. In Divine Fool, Lee adds oil paintings to his repertoire, introducing new texture and richness to his art. Divine Fool celebrates creation as an inherently optimistic gesture, emphasising art's power to bring new possibilities into existence, even in moments of despair. Over the past decade, Carl Kostyál has presented Austin Lee’s works in numerous solo and group exhibitions in the gallery’s locations in London and Sweden, as well as in offsite collaborations with other galleries and project spaces. Solo exhibitions include, ‘Paradise’, Spazio Maiocchi, Milan (2019) where the artist’s first monograph, ‘Austin Lee, 2012-2019’ was published and launched by Carl Kostyál and Kaleidoscope; ‘Constant Joy’, Carl Kostyál & Besiktas, Istanbul (2018); ‘Alight’, Maison Assouline, London, Carl Kostyál and de Pury (2017); ‘No Fair’, Carl Kostyál, Stockholm (2015) and his debut solo exhibition with the gallery, ‘Mixed Feelings’, Carl Kostyál, London (2014). Group exhibitions include ‘The Sorrow of Love’, KIAF Seoul, Carl Kostyál (2024), Seoul; ‘Painters of Modern Life Part II’, Carl Kostyál, Casa Cardinale, Ibiza (2024); CAN Ibiza, Carl Kostyál, Ibiza (2023); Art Market Budapest, Carl Kostyál, Budapest (2023); Summer Show, Carl Kostyál, Stockholm (2018); ’For Pete’s Sake’, Carl Kostyál, Stockholm (2016). In February 2022, M Woods Museum in Beijing hosted Austin Lee’s first museum solo show, ‘Human Nature’. In 2023 he has his second solo museum show ‘Passing Time’ at The Lotte Museum. His work is held in the permanent collection of Moderna Museet in Stockholm.