Brilliant Ideas Episode #27: Choe U Ram

Choe’s nicknames, “explorer of mechanical organisms” and “scientist-like artist” among others, are accurate observations of his constant dedication to science, and scientific way of thinking. Science was always close by since Choe’s early years, and his childhood dream was to become a “robotics scientist”, thanks to the influence of his grandfather, who designed Korea’s first ever automobile. Choe also happened to be talented in the arts, and had to make the difficult choice of becoming an artist or a scientist. His choice was art, but luckily Choe happened to across kinetic art during his sculpture studies in art college. Since then, he started incorporating his artistic knowledge with science, and found an outlet for his love of science.

It is clearly evident that Choe’s mechanical organisms were not easy projects, since they are extremely intricate even at a quick glance. Moreover, all of his artworks involve motion in one way or another, as Choe is decidedly uninterested in sculptures that do not move. However much he may enjoy dealing with machines, the actualization of his conceptions is a taxing task. Countless programs and hardware must be tested, and unforeseen problems, small and large, must be tackled for Choe to deliver the movements of an organic life form instead of the stiff motions of a machine. In the past, Choe worked at a robot-making company to learn more about machines. Currently he collaborates with experts from diverse fields including archaeology, biology and robot engineering.
Choe’s first steps when creating a piece is to decide on a theme and develop a befitting story. Once he completes a sketch based on that story, his collaborators undertake the meticulous designing process using computers. An artwork normally takes one and a half years to complete, as the machine’s movements undergo simulation, each of the machine parts are confirmed in drawing, and then manufactured and assembled. The process of creating Choe’s work requires great perseverance and effort, and is quite similar to that of a scientist making a robot.

Born in Seoul, Korea, in 1970, Choe U Ram is an artist who is building unique art works by making delicate Anima Machines that are based on archaeology and scientific theories such as biology and robotics. As a child, he loved science but he had great talent in art as well and he has grown up to be an artist who embraces both science and sculpture. He is sometimes labeled as a “kinetic artist”; however he wants people to call him just as a “sculptor”.
Studied sculpture in Chungang University, Choe U Ram has been showing active movements. After his first exhibition in Seoul in 1998, he has been working vigorously, holding a number of solo and group exhibitions in Tokyo, Venice and New York, and attending small and big overseas events such as the Shanghai Biennale-Hyper Design and Asian Art Triennial which was held in Manchester Art Gallery, U.K.