is an artist who gained previous recognition for his abstract expressionist artwork. While pursuing his MFA at Emily Carr University, he was raised in West Vancouver, British Columbia. He continues a cultural tradition by delving into abstract visual language and metaphysical concepts in his art, inspired by his South Korean heritage, all while considering the idea of space. The painter utilizes oil paint to convert the metaphysical qualities into a different form outside of the physical dimension. Donoh Lee has been incorporating his childhood love for drawing and painting since the age of five into his art, by incorporating bodily interaction and response in his work. Like the phantasmagoria manifesting specific movements, creating imprints formed by my soul, these entrances and passageways come from a hidden anguish that somewhat directs the instinctual movement opposing the unknown. By participating in this journey of discovery and elevation, this struggle creates a vibrant record that holds these complexities at the center of collaborative creation. The intensity emanating from the body is like omni-channels focused on preserving lost fragments of memory as a passing reality. The body that has been colonized, with roots tracing back to South Korean heritage, maintains spiritual strength and resilience by delving deep within.

Elizabeth McIntosh has nominated Donoh Lee as the leading and emerging artist for the BMO Artist Contest 2023. He works from the west coast of Canada and New York City, setting up his professional practice in NY. 

Donoh Lee, uses his paintings to experiment with the concept of the Minority Form,  discerning visual form in connection to invisible notions of pain, accessibility, mental health, and family, questioning the dynamic power structures within colonial infrastructures. A saying from his mother, "Ma um jab ue meon, jul dae mot ee gyeoh," carries importance in Donoh's work. The spiritual significance translates to how one will never be defeated when the mind is mastered. This concept embodies the fragility of human nature, and also conversely the human will that goes against all presented odds.