South Korea
• 1980
Biography
Renowned Korean contemporary artist Choi So Young uses acrylic paint and old and discarded denim to create urban landscapes. Clothing details, such as yellow stains, leather tags, zippers, seams, and pockets, create detailed compositions full of telephone poles, street signs, alleyways, and vistas. Through her textural work, the artist explores city life with a unique take. What could be considered a banal subject is transformed into a dynamic exploration of urban environments and vibrant landscapes. Throughout her career, Young has exhibited in the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago in Chicago, Art Miami Basel in Basel, Switzerland, and Shun Art Gallery in Shanghai.
Young was born in Busan in 1980. In 2003 she graduated from Dong Eui University in Busan with a B.F.A. The artist procures most of the needed materials from second-hand shops and makes sure she uses every bit of them in her work. Every detail on the fabric is cleverly used to depict urban elements. Everything is transformed from buttons to bleached stains into streets, high rises, and skies. The majority of her work is inspired by her home town Busan.
When looked at from afar, Choi So Young's unique works look like highly detailed paintings of a city landscape, a subject that is not as interesting to the art world. However, only on closer inspection do the stunning details come to light. The intricate use of denim elements, combined with the careful choice of colors, results in a work that could be mistaken as painted on a canvas.
In 2000 Choi So Young coughed the art world's attention when she showcased her work for the first time in at Hyomin Gallery in Busan. The artist went on to exhibit in numerous solo and group exhibitions all around the world, including the solo show in 2001 at Gallery Blue in Seoul and a major group exhibition entitled (2001) at Busan Metropolitan Art Museum. In 2004 the artist was selected to showcase her work at several international art fairs, such as the Art Miami Basel Fair, the Art Chicago Fair in Chicago, and the International Art Fair in San Francisco.
For her unique style and refined technique, Choi So Young's work has been obtained by several renowned private and public collections. Today her art is sold at auctions for amazing sums, making her one of the most sought-after artists from South Korea. In 2008 Young's work entitled was sold for a whooping US$276,112 at Christie's Hong Kong.
Choi So Young lives and works in Busan, South Korea.
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When was Choi So Young born?
The year of birth of the artist is: 1980