チェ·ウラム

Cakra Lamp

source: artnstory

국립현대미술관 서울관에 전시된 ( 커다란 크로와상? ),(큰 애벌레?) 모두 다르게 보이는 움직이는 그 작품의 작가가 선보인 작은 움직이는 작품들.
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source: dailyserving

U-Ram Choe’s animatronic organisms are at once ultramodern and quaintly aesthetic, evoking the antiquated futurism of Jules Verne. Entering the darkened space of the John Curtin Gallery, visitors encounter a fictional ecosystem populated by cybernetic life. Didactic panels convey the data collected by the mysterious U.R.A.M. (United Research of Anima Machines), stating that these mechanical creatures live symbiotically within the urban environment, feeding off human by-products such as electromagnetic energy and atmospheric pollutants. The lifecycle of the sky-dwelling Urbanus species is presented through an interactive installation. The visitor’s movements trigger the reproductive spasms of Urbanus Female, a flower-like creature which discharges electrically charged light particles from her genitals. Her gaping, ferocious-looking petals open wider and wider as her internal light whirrs ecstatically. We are told that the male Urbanus flock around her to absorb the photons she emits, and we observe the Urbanus Male Larva, a diminutive specimen which flutters delicate petals resembling Art Nouveau fans. The Urbanus Female Larva is even more delicately wrought, fanning filigree-like leaves in response to the activity around her.

The monumental scale, meticulous engineering and luxurious design of these kinetic sculptures is powerfully seductive. Decorative motifs rendered in shining chrome take the work far beyond the utilitarian copper and leather flavours of Steampunk, which could be compared to Choe’s aesthetic of nineteenth century gadgetry. His work possesses an unashamedly popular appeal, captivating the general public as well as art audiences. This is primarily due to the spectacular qualities of the sculptures, but the frame in which he presents the work is also one which most audiences will be familiar with: the natural history museum.
It is easy to navigate this work, slipping seamlessly into the reverential attitude of wonder that nineteenth century museums attempt to cultivate. We are reminded of a time when the natural world was largely unknown, when there was a frenzy for discovery, classification and collection. At times this parallel is a little too direct, as we encounter long fish forms reminiscent of the whale skeletons that graced many a ceiling in the temples of natural history. The more abstract works are arguably most effective—Cakra-2552-a, a rotating mandala of chromed curlicues, is hypnotic in its motion.

This is an exhibition that achieves the rare feat of inspiring wonder in a broad audience without making overt concessions to the art outsider. Choe’s pursuit of ever more sophisticated and delicate machinery marries neatly with his fascination with the intersection of nature and technology. He asks his viewer to share his celebratory vision of this nexus.
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source: galleryhyundai

CHOE U-RAM’s work engages a fanciful dialog of aesthetics and machinery and explores themes of biological transformation, flight, and movement. In his recent work, large-scale metal and plastic automata materialize with such a delicacy and weightlessness that it seems to take on the shape and silhouette of an organic life form. Motors, heat and light sensitive materials add to the intricacy of Choe’s kinetic sculptures.

With Choe’s incorporation of scientific nomenclature into artwork titling systems, walking into the gallery space can be reminiscent of touring a prehistoric exhibit at a natural science or history museum-there are certain elements of recognition: mechanical diagrams, text descriptions of habitats,visible evidence of fins evolving into wings, and even propellers. The warm biologic livelihoods of machine-creatures become the subject in Choe’s work. These dynamic forms bear emotion and have anthropological roots, despite their streamlined metallic sheen. Narratives authored by the artist complement his 3-dimensional designs and drawings.

The visual language of U-Ram Choe describes natural biomorphic form that is marked by a seemingly organic incorporation of etched stainless steel, robotics and acrylic. Exploring the boundaries of archeological discovery and developmental morphology, Choe’s explanations and Latin titles for these creations follow the linguistic traditions of scientific nomenclature. Telling stories using gestural transformation and the tracing of imagined evolutionary stages, these pieces take on the silhouette of actual life forms, as intricate automata express a refined delicacy and weightlessness. Unexpected and fantastical, Choe’s kinetic simulations cyclically breathe with movement that recalls aquatic propulsion, flight and ritualistic courtship displays.