Size：150x165 cm
Material：布面綜合媒材
Year：2012
Intro：Choi Young Wook sees in the moon jar the simple aesthetic of the common people.Weathering the course of history, caressed by human hands, bathed by water and rubbed by cloth for long years, the surface of white porcelain changes, even acquiring scratches, and the “whiteness” of its exterior takes on a completely different quality from its original whiteness when fresh from the kiln. Permeated with the scars of life, the crackled glaze on the exterior of the moon jar often increases in the complexity of its fractured patterns, yielding an intermingling of the new with the old. Choi extends the moon jar’s many minute changes wrought by time to signify the universal life memories that humanity collectively shares. The crackled patterns of the glaze thus become a symbol of the mutual connections of fate, which he encompasses under the term “karma.” While Joseon moon jars serve as the only visual image in his paintings, giving the viewer the impression he is reproducing them in a photorealistic style, Choi is actually intent upon transcending mere imitation. His ultimate objective is not to depict any specific, material jar of white porcelain in the real world, or to engage in the reproduction of images, even though his technique renders his subject matter strikingly lifelike. He may select a specific vessel as a subject for replication, in order to grasp the form of the jar and the semi-transparent layered effect of the glaze, or its crackled fissures. Yet as he has honed his technique over the course of seven years, becoming ever more refined, and in particular as he has integrated East Asian tradition with the expressive methods of Western modern painting, the Joseon moon jar has evolved under the brush of Choi Young Wook beyond a reflection or recreation of a single “particular” and has been sublimated as a study or creation of the universal.
Put more precisely, within this “universal” of the white porcelain moon jar, Choi Young Wook slowly, patiently depicts one image after another with the unique individual life philosophy and vision of an artist, and while the traces of each image seem discernible, in fact it is impossible to map the trajectory of its life in advance.
Among the interweaving crackled seams, the viewer clearly sees a network of lines that form a plane, as if the atlas of a person’s fate, or a portrait of the complexities of an interpersonal relationship. Here, metaphorically transformed by the artist, the white moon jars become vessels of life. The predestination and open-endedness of life, the possibilities and impossibilities, enter the viewer’s eyes, half-hidden yet manifest, as a patterned form like an abstract code, testing our ability to glimpse invisible spirit and wisdom.

Artist Intro：
Choi Youngwook
1964 Born in Seoul,Korea
1991 B.F.A Hong Ik University ,Seoul, Korea
2000 M.F.A Hong Ik University ,Seoul, Korea
Solo Exhibition
2013 Solo Exhibition, Soul Art Space, Busan, Korea
Solo Exhibition, Gallery a-cube, Tokyo, Japan
2012 Solo Exhibition, Sun Contemporary,Seoul, Korea
Solo Exhibition, Lotte Gallery, Busan,Korea
2011 Solo Exhibition, Versace aki, Seoul, Korea Solo Exhibition, Gaga Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2010 Solo Exhibition, Yegam Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Solo Exhibition, Gong Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2009 Solo Exhibition, ArtGate Gallery, New York, NY, USA 2007
Solo Exhibition, Woori Bank Kang Nam Gallery, Soop Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Solo Exhibition, ANNEX Convention Center, Fukuoka, Japan
2006 Solo Exhibition,ONO Gallery,Tokyo,Japan
2004 Solo Exhibition,Seoul Art Gallery,Seoul,Korea
2003 Solo Exhibition,Noam Gallery,Seoul Korea
2000 Solo Exhibition,Hong Ik University museum,Seoul,Korea
Solo Exhibition,Alternative Space,Seoul,Korea
1992 Solo Exhibition,Gain Gallery,Seoul,Korea
Group Exhibition
2014 Friends, Trough the Years Ⅱ, JJ Joong Jung Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2014 Cultural Code, Springs Center of Art, Beijing, China
2014 K-P.O.P –Process, Otherness, Play, Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan
2013 The Sounds of Korea, Embassy of the Republic ofKorea in China, Beijing, China
2013 correspondence, BRIDGE GALLERY, Seoul, Korea
2013 RED GATE, Gallery Hogam, Seoul, Korea
2013 A SCENE FROM A MEMORY, odetoart, Singapore
2013 The Beauty Of Stillness, SUPERIOR GALLERY, Seoul, Korea
2012 Treasures From The Mythology, Yegam Gallery, NY, USA and participate in over 100 times of group exhibitions
2011 Studio Akka Group Exhibition, Studio Akka,Milano,Italia
Reality Equals Dream, Art On Gallery,Singapore
Adagio non molto, EON Gallery,Seoul, Korea Gallery Epoque Group Exhibition, Epoque
Gallery,Seoul,Korea
Suwon University Museum of Art, Suwon, Korea
Meeting of April, Soop Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2010 Korea & Japanese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Tokyo, Japan
Fiction Nonfiction ,Interalia Gallery,Seoul, Korea
2009 Korea & Japanese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Hanjun Gallery, Korea
2008 Korea & Japanese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Tokyo Gallery, Japan
Metro Exhibition, Kang Nam Woori Bank Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2007 Metro Group Exhibition, In Sa Art Gallery,Seoul, Korea
2006 Korea & Japanese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Tokyo, Japan
2005 Korea & Japanese Contemporary Art Exhibition-Today & Tomorrow Show, Sejong Art Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Origin Art Association Exhibition,Seoul, Korea
2004 Korea & Japanese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Jigudang Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Metro-A Way of Consciousness Exhibition, Gongpyung Art Gallery, Seoul, Korea
KCAF, Korean Modern Art Festival, Seoul Art Center, Seoul, Korea
2003 Metro Exhibition, Kwan Hoon Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Korea & Japanese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Seoul Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2002 “Today, Together”Held by Origin Painting Association, Sejong Center, Seoul Korea
Korea & Japanese Contemporary Art Exhibition, JigudangGallery, Tokyo, Japan
Flag Art Festival, World Cup Park, Seoul, Korea
Exhibition Celebrating the Opening of Jungang Newspaper Branch, sponsored by Origin
Painting Association, LA Jungang Newspaper Gallery, LA, USA
2000 Korean & Bulgarian Exchange Exhibition, Sofia Municipal Gallery of Art, Seoul, Korea
1999 99 Origin Art Association Exhibition, Seoul Metropolitan Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
Art of Image-Era-Communication, Revolving Road, Hong Ik University Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1998 Korea Fine Art Association Exhibition, Grand Hall of Art, Seoul, Korea
Purity, Reality-Metaphor Show, Bacsong Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Han River Flag Show, Han River Park, Seoul, Korea
98 Seoul Contemporary art Exhibition-Prize for Excellent, Art Center, Seoul, Korea
1997 Today’s Artists Meeting Exhibition, Samjong Art Space, Seoul, Korea
97 Prospect and Leap Exhibition, Eunha Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Choi, Young Wook, and Lee, Seung Nam Two Person Exhibition, NamuGallery, Seoul, Korea
1996 Korea Arts Great Exhibition, National Museumof Modern Art, Seoul, Korea
Korea-China Exchange Exhibition, Indecon Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Kyewon Teacher’s Exhibition, Kyewon Arts High School, Seoul, Korea
96 Out Arts Emotion Exhibition, Seokyoung Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1995 Painting and Print Exhibition, Jinlo Whole Sale Center, Seoul, Korea
Kaywon Teacher’s Exhibition, Si Dae Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1994 Meeting of May Exhibition, Sonamoo Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Korea Contemporary Painting, 3 Artists’Exhibition, Madamme Pola Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1993 TheExhibition of 93 Prints-93 Artists, Doll Gallery, Seoul, Korea
The Searching Exhibition of Korea Contemporary Art, Sam Jeong Art Space, Seoul, Korea
Korea Young Artists Fair, Gong, Pyung Art Center, Seoul, Korea
1992 The 18thIndependent Exhibition, National Museum of Modern Art, Seoul, Korea
Starting and After That Exhibition, Kwan Hoon Gallery, Seoul, Korea
92 Channel Exhibition, Kwan Hoon Gallery, Seoul, Korea
92 Post-Point Exhibition, Chung Nam Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Race Exhibition, Yae HyangGallery, Seoul, Korea
Message 579 Exhibition, Indeco Gallery, Seoul, Korea
The Exhibition of Existence, Recognition, Stream, Cosmos Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Today’s Prints, Young Artist’s Exhibition, Cosmos Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1991 MBC Art Festival, Seoul Art Center, Seoul, Korea
Koul Kab Exhibition, Chung Nam Gallery, Seoul, Korea
84 Hong Ik Exhibition, Kwan Hoon Gallery, Seoul, Korea
MESSAGE 579 Exhibition, Indeco Gallery, Seoul, Korea
91 Hong IkExhibition, Kwan Hoon Gallery, Seoul, Korea
The Possibility Exhibition of The Secession, Ba Tang Gol Gallery, Seoul, Korea
3 Artist’s Painting Exhibition, Indeco Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1990 New Art Grand Fextival, Design Packing Center, Seoul, Korea
90 Yeatte Rak Exhibition, Dool Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Art Fair For Younger’s, Seoul Metropolitan Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
Collection
JEI Education,Seoul, Korea
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, USA
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA
Loreal Korea, Seoul, Korea
Komferry Asia, Seoul, Korea
NUVICOM , NJ, USA
LG, U Plus, Seoul, Korea
National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea, Gwacheon, Korea
Korea Herald, Seoul, Korea
Suwon University, Suwon, Korea
2011 MUDO SATIS MAGAZALARI A.S,ISTANBUL, TURKIYE
2012 Blue Dot, Chilgok-gun,Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea
Korean Air, Seoul, Korea and Korea,USA,Japan,France, Spain, Germany, China, Taiwan