The Various Faces of Human Existence: From Innocence to Despair

[MZ Generation's Beloved Author] Choi Woo

Famous Celebrities Like Jeon Hye-bin and Ki Eun-se Visit Exhibition
Two Solo Exhibitions This Year... Also Exhibited at KIAF

Choi Woo, writer.

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] "Sometimes when I feel like the clown of fate, I become a bird and fly, or a cow and breathe heavily, or a dog and bark."

This is a phrase found in the artist note of Choi Woo (39). He enjoys capturing the diverse emotions of human existence on canvas in a way that differentiates him from other artists. Each of his works has a distinct personality. In works where he vividly expresses children with color, one can feel purity and warmth, while in other works drawn in a graffiti style, sharpness and despair sometimes explode.

Choi Woo held two solo exhibitions this year, in January and July. The theme of his first solo exhibition this year, held at Gallery Coop in Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, was ‘It’s not here.’ Choi said, "I wanted to talk about the futility of possessing material things or any kind of value," adding, "I expressed feelings of wanting to break free from the obsession that one must perfectly accomplish either work or livelihood."

An artwork from the solo exhibition "It’s not here" by artist Choi Woo, held last January at Gallery Coop located in Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul.

The works displayed in the ‘It’s not here’ exhibition generally had a heavy and dark atmosphere. Representative examples include faces of people with expressionless and lonely moods or paintings of shoes placed alone. Among animals, there were many works depicting horses, which he likes. Some works expressed meaning by contrasting black and white either within a single piece or by linking two pieces.

Several famous celebrities also visited his solo exhibition at that time. Actress and singer Jeon Hye-bin visited Choi Woo’s exhibition on January 10 and posted about it on her Instagram. Jeon commented, "My husband gifted me two paintings that I really liked." Actress Ki Eun-se also posted a photo taken with Choi Woo’s artwork as the background on her social media, expressing regret that "the piece I had my eye on was already sold."

Actor Ki Eun-se. A work by artist Choi Woo is hanging in the background. (Photo by Ki Eun-se Instagram)

Choi Woo’s most recent solo exhibition was ‘spread your wings’ at Art Space H Gallery located in Seongbuk-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. This exhibition conveyed a more hopeful message. It depicted scenes such as a boy praying toward a bird with a sense of openness and colorful tones. Choi said, "Darkness is a state without light, but it also makes you expect that light will soon shine," adding, "The way human existence is is like that, and since I live such a life, I projected that perspective into my work."

The pigment Choi mainly chooses for his works is oil paint. "Oil paint was originally created to reproduce human skin. I remove the oiliness from oil paint. Then it feels matte and dry like cave paintings drawn in ancient times. I often express a primitive atmosphere and rough texture that is not artificial in my paintings."

A work exhibited by artist Choi Woo at his second solo exhibition this year, held last July at Art Space H Gallery located in Seongbuk-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul.

He has recently been fully experiencing the booming art market atmosphere. He feels that inquiries from collectors about purchasing works have increased by 30%, and the age range has diversified. Especially, many people in their 30s and 40s inquire about sales through Instagram. Choi said, "In the past, artists or galleries had to actively promote their works, but nowadays, it’s to the extent that such activities are not necessary," adding, "Young people visit exhibitions as naturally as they go to the movies."

Choi Woo will exhibit at the Korea International Art Fair (KIAF), the largest art market in Korea, held at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 13th of this month. He plans to hold a two-person exhibition at Gallery Coop in the first half of next year and then participate in group exhibitions. If time permits, he also plans to showcase works using non-fungible tokens (NFTs), a hot topic in the art world this year. Choi expressed his aspiration, saying, "I want to be an artist who delivers hopeful messages to society in chaotic times," and "I hope we never forget that we are beings who ultimately pursue light."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.