CHOI BYUNG HOON, whose works have been

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1 CHOI BYUNG HOON

2 CHOI BYUNG HOON, whose works have been highly evaluated more as the artistic value than as practical one, is recognized as a forerunner of Korean art furniture and an explorer of a new genre. Choi s works have enlarged the boundary of woodcraft by imbuing a new kind of aesthetic concept in the sense of fine arts into the wood furniture which used to be merely an everyday convenience. Far from being absorbed in emphasizing the functional and technical quality in his creative procedure, Choi has produced the works which have radiated artistic quality. Choi s works are wood compositions made of simple elliptic spheres and oval shapes on the plinth of natural stone or on the horizontal wood pedestal. Among these works, our attention is attracted to the minimalistic art furniture, such as a table or a chair. Here, the artist does not maintain them just in the realm of function, but imparts on them aesthetic value, producing them as the original object. Choi s object is turned into work owning individuality as the status of the original art work. Artist has enormously manufactured three dimensional objects which are not practical and some of them are recognized as the creative ones which overcame the illusionism. Choi s art furniture stems from the different starting point. As a three dimensional object which is practical, it makes an effort to hold an aesthetic quality together with a functional one from the beginning. Choi Byung Hoon analyzes his works as Naturalism and Minimalism. Choi makes a delicate effort to harmonize the environment with the place where works are situated as well as with the working process, and expresses in his works the sense of unity and intimacy with nature. Choi avoids the decorativeness and materialism, and seeks a harmony of sentiments in the artistic environment. That s the reason that his works give a perfect spatial structure, and emit lyricism simultaneously. Likewise it is minimalism that has been frequently mentioned for Choi s recent works. This term is chosen because his works appearance is related to the simple shapes of circle, sphere, and quadrangle. Choi s wooden works, in particular, are composed of simple forms of ovals, squares, and spheres without any additional parts. In most of his works is excluded a complex decorative effect. Ultimately Choi s minimalistic forms unexpectedly register the aesthetic effect together with functionality.

3 1952 Born in Kangwon Do. Korea Lives and works in Paju, Korea PRESENT Specialist of the Cultural Heritage Committee, Korea Dean & Professor, College of Fine Arts, Hongik University. Seoul, Korea EDUCATION Dean & Professor, College of Fine Arts, Hongik University. Seoul, Korea Director, Hongik University Museum, Seoul, Korea Specialist of the Cultural Heritage Committee, Korea President, Korea Furniture Society, Korea Dean, Office of Student Affairs - Hongik University, Seoul, Korea Director, Institute of Art & Design - Hongik University, Seoul, Korea Visiting Professor, Rhode Island School of Design, USA Research Professor, University of Art and Design Helsinki, Finland Professor, Kyunggi University, Suwon, Korea M.F.A Hongik University, Seoul, Korea B.F.A Hongik University, Seoul, Korea SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS In One Stroke, Friedman Benda, New York Clay & stone, yidogallery, Seoul Gallery DOWNTOWN françois laffanour, Paris Gallery DOWNTOWN françois laffanour, Paris Hangil Gallery, Heyri Art Valley, Paju Gallery DOWNTOWN françois laffanour, Paris Gallery DOWNTOWN françois laffanour, Paris, Johyun Gallery, Busan Gallery DOWNTOWN françois laffanour, Paris Johyun Gallery, Busan Ellen Kim Murphy Gallery, Seoul Gallery DOWNTOWN françois laffanour, Paris Gallery DOWNTOWN françois laffanour, Paris Gallery Busan, Busan Seoul Art Fair, Sun Gallery, Seoul Sun Gallery, Seoul SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS Objectology - Design and Art, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea Metropolitan Vanities: The History of the Dressing Table, The Metropolitan, New York Contemporary Korean Design 2, R20th Century Gallery, New York Seoul Design Festival, Seoul TEFAF Maastricht 2009, Maastricht Seoul Design Olympiad, Seoul Wood Scent of Daily Life, Gallery Wooduk, Seoul New Acquisitions 2007, Busan Museum of Art, Busan, Korea Best Design Culture Selection, Seoul Art Center-Design Museum, Seoul Livung Objet-Lio Gallery, Heyri Art Valley, Paje New Acquisitions 2006, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul Modernism-A Century of Style and Design 2000, New York S.O.F.A New York 2006, New York Busan Biennale 2006, Busan Re-birth of Artist s hand, Sun Gallery, Seoul Korean Art College Professor s Work, Ansan FAIRS Design Miami/ Basel, Basel Salon Art + Design Fair, New York Collective Design Fair, New York Design Miami/, Miami Design Miami/ Basel, Basel Design Days Dubai, Dubai Design Miami/, Miami PAD, Pavilion of Art & Design, London Design Miami/ Basel, Basel Design Days Dubai, Dubai Art Gwangju 2010, Gwangju Design Miami/ Basel, Basel Design Miami/, Miami Design Miami/ Basel, Basel Design Miami/ Basel, Basel Gyeong gi Int l Ceramic Fair 2008, KINTEX, Ilsan Korea Int l Art Fair, COEX, Seoul Seoul Living Design Fair, COEX, Seoul Design Miami/, Miami AWARDS Grand Prize, 2007 Seoul Living Design Fair Award 96 This Year s Design Award

4 COMMISSION PROJECTS

5 Seoul City Gallery Project Lane of Art, Place of Meditation

6 Heasley Nine Bridge Resort, Korea, 2009 Afterimage , 2009 Red oak, Walnut cm 32 x 14 x 17 inch

Heasley Nine Bridge Resort, Korea, 2009 Afterimage 09-320 Red oak 84 36 81

7 Heasley Nine Bridge Resort, Korea, 2009 Afterimage Red oak cm 33 x 14 x 32 inch Afterimage Walnut cm 35 x 14 x 17 inch

Heasley Nine Bridge Resort, Korea, 2009 Afterimage 08-263

8 Heasley Nine Bridge Resort, Korea, 2009 Afterimage Carbon fiber, Black granite 170 x 55 x 90 cm 70 x 22 x 35.4 in

Heasley Nine Bridge Resort, Korea, 2009 Afterimage 09-314 Black granite, Ipe 81 36 42

9 Heasley Nine Bridge Resort, Korea, 2009 Afterimage Black granite, Ipe cm 32 x 14 x 16.5 inch Zari, Black Granite Natural Stone 60 x 60 x 45 cm 24 x 24 x 18 inch

Heasley Nine Bridge Resort, Korea, 2009 Afterimage 08-282,

10 Heasley Nine Bridge Resort, Korea, 2009 Afterimage , 2008 Carbon fiber, Black granite cm 64 x 22 x 39 inch

11 WOOD EDITION

Design High, Gallery SEOMI, Seoul, 2009 Afterimage 09-318 Walnut 90 36 42

12 Design High, Gallery SEOMI, Seoul, 2009 Afterimage Walnut cm 35 x 14 x 17 inch Afterimage Red oak cm 33 x 14 x 32 inch

13 Afterimage , 2009 Red oak cm 25 x 14 x 22 inch

Contemporary Korean Design, R20th Century Gallery New York, 2010 Afterimage 08-279 Hard maple, natural stone 360 90 72 cm 142 x 35 x 283

14 Contemporary Korean Design, R20th Century Gallery New York, 2010 Afterimage Hard maple, natural stone cm 142 x 35 x 283 inch Afterimage Walnut, natural stone cm 63 x 30 x 30 inch Afterimage Walnut, natural stone 120 x 54 x 42 cm 47 x 21 x 17 inch

15 Afterimage , 2009 Red oak, Walnut cm 32 x 14 x 34 inch

16 Heasley Nine Bridge Resort, Korea, 2009 Dining Table, 2008 Red oak, natural stone 360 x 115 x 72 cm 142 x 45 x 28 inch

17 Design Miami/Basel_represented by Gallery DOWNTOWN Paris, 2010

18 Design Miami/Basel_represented by Gallery DOWNTOWN Paris, 2010

19 Afterimage , 2008 Walnut, natural stone 120W x 54D x 42H cm 47.2 x 21.3 x 16.5 inch

Afterimage 09-332, 2009 Black lacquer on red oak,

20 Afterimage , 2009 Black lacquer on red oak, natural stone 360W x 110D x 72H cm x 43.3 x 28.3 inch

21 Afterimage , 2009 Black lacquer on red oak, natural stone 360W x 110D x 72H cm x 43.3 x 28.3 inch

Afterimage 012-379, 2012 Black lacquer on red oak,

22 Afterimage , 2012 Black lacquer on red oak, natural stone 240W 100D 72H cm 94.5W 39.4D 28.3H inch

23 Afterimage , 2012 Black lacquer on red oak, natural stone 240W 100D 72H cm 94.5W 39.4D 28.3H inch

24 Design Miami/ Basel 2012,Gallery SEOMI

25 GRANITE/MARBLE SERIES

26 Afterimage White marble, Ipe 176W x 80D x 30H cm

Afterimage 09-314, 2009 Black granite, Ipe 81 36 42 cm 32 x 14 x 16

27 Afterimage , 2009 Black granite, Ipe cm 32 x 14 x 16 inch Zari, Black Granite Natural Stone 60 x 60 x 45 cm 24 x 24 x 18 inch

28 Afterimage White marble, natural stone cm 87 x 10 x 22 inch

Afterimage 09-325 Console table, 2009 White

29 Afterimage Console table, 2009 White marble, Black granite x 100 cm 22 x 13.4 x 39.4 inch

30 Afterimage Black granite natural stone 78 x 50 x 45 cm 31 x 20 x 18 inch

Afterimage 09-329 a, b, 2009 White marble,

31 Afterimage a, b, 2009 White marble, natural stone 78 x 50 x 45 cm 30.7 x 19.7 x 17.7 inch

32 Zari 0806 A, B 2008 Outdoor stools, white marble, black granite 70w x 42h cm (each) 27.5w x 16.5h inches (each)

Afterimage 09-328 Console Table White marble,

33 Afterimage Console Table White marble, Black granite 60 x 30 x 42 cm 23.6 x 11.8 x 16.5 inch

34 Design Miami/ Miami, 2010

35 REVIEWS/PRESS Choi Byung Hoon s Oeuvre: Creating a New Third Way between Art and Design Alexander von Vegesack, Director Vitra Design Museum I initially met Choi Byung Hoon during a trip to Southeast Asia, where he was introduced to me as a major contemporary South Korean designer. That his work was creating furniture, however, was not immediately apparent to me. It was only later that I was reminded of Isamu Noguchi s oeuvre, to whom the Vitra Design Museum had dedicated a retrospective in Indeed Choi, like Noguchi, seems to ignore the boundaries between sculpture and design. Common to both Asian artists are the reduction to simple outlined forms, the use of natural materials, the play with strong contrasts, and the great quietude their objects exude. In Choi s work, I am also fascinated with how he comes to terms with the confrontation of design-specific problems such as the questions of ergonomics or rationality. For example, how does one form a comfortable chair with legs, seat, and back made from a single piece of plywood? For me, the aspect that characterizes Choi s works overall is balance. For the viewer, the question of balance is primarily perceived as tension between the recognizable elements of which a piece is constructed and composed: between the light, curved, floating wood and the heavy mass of unchanging solid material; between the positive form of an object and the negative form of its hollow spaces; and finally between art and design. The tension between expression and function in his work is so strong that the context, which as a rule defines whether something is perceived as art or commodity, largely recedes into the background. Such interdisciplinary phenomena are increasingly under discussion in contemporary culture; precisely what concerns us is whether the field of tension is between art on the one hand and design or architecture on the other, because a palpable feeling of uncertainty about our area of action is taking place. In Choi s pieces, these tensions between materials, forms or categories never manifest a strained effect, but rather reflect a calm and natural one. In this respect, they very much resonate with the works of Noguchi. Perhaps the differentiation between art and design, as Noguchi himself suggested, is indeed irrelevant and only stands in the way of a fully integrated perception, a complete understanding of objects in their entirety. I particularly encountered this third way, which eliminates the distinction between categories, in the Far East, both in daily life and among the initiated. But here in the West, artists, designers, architects, and cultural observers have pointed out repeatedly that it is more productive and certainly more honest to see the art in design in addition to the practical benefits. Contemporary works by Humberto, Fernando Campana, and Jürgen Bey, which are treated in the context of design, reflect perception as much as works by Andrea Zittel, Ai Weiwei and other artists. At the heart of this discourse Choi Byung Hoon adds a powerful, lyrical voice.

Forms at Formwork. 72 For further information and requests please find all contact details in the index pages

Forms at Formwork. 72 For further information and requests please find all contact details in the index pages Forms at Formwork Philip Michael Wolfson has joined forces with architects Jeremy Peacock and Kasia Piotrowska to create FORMS. This company is devoted solely to creating elegant and inspiring architecture,