Choi Tae Hoon

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About the artwork

Choi Tae-hoon's artistic interest is in the pursuit of a gigantic tree called cosmic divine tree. Once the tree-like structure — implying a mystic forest filled with numinous force; a young mysterious land since the beginnings of things — is put on display, it'll finally come into its own. His work is an analogy of nature, translated as the mystic forest, and helps the visitors feel reverence for nature. To arouse reverence for nature that stands on an antipode of civilization, he endows his work with divinity. It comes from the light he enjoys using. The tree shedding light, the artificial divine tree may let visitors to acknowledge spirituality. It is undoubtedly a virtue embedded in Choi Tae-hoon's work to let people experience the cosmic spirituality through the blaze emitting from the gigantic tree. In a situation like this, Choi Tae-hoon no longer serves as a sculptor, but as a shaman who connects human, the earth, and the universe. As a proxy of god, the shaman in the modern society or contemporary art has gradually been losing his or her function and role. But the more civilization progresses, the more shaman as a proxy of spirituality is sought after. Choi Tae-hoon uses diffusing light in order to give a certain spiritual feeling to steel. It does not really matter whether visitors feel the cosmic spirituality like he initially intended, or simply enjoy external structure just as it is. What really matters is that his work is expanding its ground, and that in turn allows him to discover a new breakthrough for his work.

About the artist

Choi Tae Hoon, born in 1965, is part of Korea's rapidly developing contemporary art scene which is now beginning to have greater international exposure. Having pursued his Fine Arts Degree (B.F.A and M.F.A) at Kyung-Hee University in Seoul, he has redefined the elements of sculptural works. In making a collage of time that has been transformed into an organic form, Choi uses a plasma torching technique where he cuts and welds not only stainless steel plates but also, the cumulative nature of time. The incalculable numbers of the tiny holes on the surface of the work reveal an intensity between the artist's intention and the unruly nature of the material. Choi Tae Hoo has participated in numerous international solo and group biennale shows in Asia, Europe and the United States. He was awarded the Artist of the Year award in 2012 and in 2006 at different shows.