Artist Spotlight: Go Woon Choi

Everyday Life is the title of Go Woon Choi's current exhibition at TAG, through March 19, 2016.

Go Woon Choi, Prop Composition 01, Oil, 40 x 30"

She is showcasing a series of oil on canvas paintings exploring the beauty and abstract possibilities of common objects. Reflection, refraction, transparency, color, and composition are all considered with great attention to detail.

It all started during one of Choi's travels, when she saw some tools piled in a blue plastic box at a hardware store. She felt compelled to capture the strong feeling the jumble of shapes, reflections, and colors invoked.

Go Woon Choi, Blue Tool Composition 01 01, Oil, 40 x 30"

Back in her studio, she began to set up compositions to paint, arranging disparate objects that aren't typically seen grouped together -- a magpie assortment of shiny things.

Go Woon Choi, Red Prop Composition 05, Oil, 30 x 24"

The use of the background negative space is also carefully considered. Combinations of red, yellow, or blue with black or even shiny foil are arranged to give maximum impact, pushing the very real objects into an abstract realm.

Go Woon Choi, Toy Car Composition 01, Oil, 30 x 24"

Concentrating on color, form, and the play of light, Choi transcends the quotidian function of the objects and creates a hybrid of hyper realism and semi-abstraction. For example, Yellow Prop Composition 01 has tools and a shower hanger but it looks like an abstract painting from far away.

Go Woon Choi, Yellow Prop Composition 01, Oil, 30 x 24"

"Even common objects can appear strong and fantastic under different light conditions and environments," says Choi.

Go Woon will be part of an Artist Panel at TAG this Saturday, March 12, 3pm.
Feel free to leave her any questions here in the comments.