Jioh Choi

Born in Seoul in 1966 into a family steeped in calligraphy, Jioh Choi entered Hongik University's Asian Painting Department in 1987. Seeking to break free from conventional Asian art, she immersed herself in nature, observing life and objects with new awareness. During postgraduate studies, she deepened her understanding of Korean aesthetics through traditional paintings on porcelain, later expanding into ceramics, graffiti, filmmaking, and animation.

 

Though raised in urban Seoul where nature felt distant, Choi's consciousness awakened during college ventures into the wild. She began observing nature's cycles of birth and death, recognizing that every being—from vast landscapes to nameless garden flowers—possesses its own micro-universe and intrinsic value. This realization expanded her perspective, drawing her to capture stories where reality intersects with dreams.

 

In her work, unlikely entities coexist across time and space, reassembling and reinterpreting themselves while blurring contextual boundaries and identities. This approach symbolizes her desire to liberate her subconscious world, challenging repressed unconscious elements within herself. Transcending realistic associations, she embraces the mysterious, irrational, and fantastical, merging pure childhood memories with nature experiences to portray hope, joy, and beauty through her distinctive artistic vision.