aUSTY Lee: Transcending Cultural Boundaries

The “Parashu Necklace” is inspired by Parashu, the battle-axe of Parashurama, one of the 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu. The necklace from the Oren-Noir Collection (French for ‘gold in black’) is wrought in 18-karat yellow gold and embellished with a Tahitian pearl, Akoya pearls, black enamel, fancy colour diamonds and white diamonds.

aUSTY Lee’s creations are underlined by a complex dance of colours. The Hong Kong-based artist seamlessly weaves together motifs and symbols to craft wearable art that transcends cultural boundaries. Some of aUSTY’s recent pieces are inspired by Indian mythology – among them are the Parshurama necklace and the Panchajanya (conch) ring. Take a look at his artistic renditions.

aUSTY Lee’s mesmerising creations have an other-dimensional allure that bring to mind luminous and colourful nebulae or structured patterns awash with bright, pop colours. Each of his creations is a tour de force of intricate patterns that hold your attention. With experiences at prestigious jewellery brands like Adler in Switzerland and Wendy Yue in Hong Kong, aUSTY Lee founded his own self-titled brand in the year 2017. With a visionary eye for the future, his designs exude a new-age sensibility and radiate with vibrant energy.

The graceful dance of Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva and the goddess of power, harmony and fertility, is the inspiration behind this mystifying 18-karat white gold jewel, The Lãsya of Parvati Ring. In Hindu mythology, Parvati is worshipped to help resolve issues of marriage, parenting and fertility, and the dance she performs is known as the Lãsya. The scintillating Mozambican rubellite, white diamonds, rubies and Fancy Colour diamonds, and red enamel are meant to invoke the movement of Parvati’s remarkable red dress as she performs the Lãsya. The stunning ring belongs to the 10th Dimension collection exploring the hypothesis of multiple universe and stresses on the application of different geometric shapes.

The three things that often recur in his themes are Culture, Religion and Natural Creations. He explains, “I love reading books related to these topics and I used to teach jewellery design and culture in an institution in Hong Kong. Incorporating the elements of culture in my design creates a storytelling for the art pieces and make the jewellery even more special and meaningful.

“I believe in Tibetan Buddhism, and the Thangkas and Mandalas (paintings or colourful patterns used for meditation or self-introspection) are the main inspirations for those psychedelic patterns.”

The “Nine Devaloka” ring embodies a profound cross-cultural connection. According to Indian mythology, Devaloka (the abode of gods) is a plane of existence where gods and devas exist, similar to the concept of Heaven. The idea of the Nine Devaloka resonates with the nine realms in Norse Mythology, with each realm connecting to one another by the branches of Yggdrasil, an eternal green ash tree. The 18-karat yellow gold ring from the Psychedelic Light collection is adorned with Prasiolite, Fancy yellow diamonds and white diamonds.

So, what inspired him to create pieces inspired by Hinduism. “Both Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism share beliefs in karma and rebirth and accept the idea of spiritual liberation. And the religions have many brightly coloured extravagant art and rituals, which hold specific meanings. For example, red is related to life force, power and preservation, Green is the colour of balance and harmony, etc. Therefore, I always take these into consideration when I think of any designs. Applying many different colours and psychedelic patterns and adding the stories of Hindu mythology to my pieces make my jewellery pieces livelier and more profound, to me at least.

The Panchajanya is the shankha (conch) of the Hindu preserver deity Lord Vishnu. The shankha plays an important role in the religious rituals and symbolises the Pancha Bhuta (five great elements), and when blown, it emanates the primordial sound of creation, Om. The 18-karat rose gold “Panchajanya “ ring (left) and the brooch (right) are patterned with Burmese Imperial Green Jades, Lapis Lazuli, tsavorites and Fancy Vivid Yellow diamonds. The colour palette of the two jewels from the Iznik’s Silent collection draws inspiration from the Iznik tiles, renowned for their signature Turkish blue and white motifs commonly found in pottery.

“In my designs you may see occasionally plants, orchids, butterflies or mythical creatures. This is due to my interest towards nature and myths, especially orchids and ancient Greek mythology. I love to present their beauty in the form of timeless jewellery.”