Born in Gyeongju, Korea, 1972, Choi Soowhan creates meticulous, immaculate, yet expressive images by drilling holes of various sizes (0.4-3mm) in a black acrylic plate (Plexiglass) or laminate, and then LED backlighting the piece. The result is art based on precision, where Choi masterfully manipulates material and light to create texture, form and substance.
In Choi's work, we see both the natural and the manmade, where the patterns and symmetrical rhythms of the human eye are closely mirrored with the elaborate curves of ornate Rococo frames, both rendered in meticulous detail through this highly skilled process of image making. We see frothing seascapes, alive with energetic light, contrast with still woodland scenes, where dappled sun and deep shadow show how the artist utilises the contrast of light and dark to encapsulate dynamic space and time.