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JooYoung Choi is an acrylic painter from Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. She was born in Seoul, South Korea and was raised in Concord, New Hampshire. Her work draws from her experience as a Korean adoptee and her reunion with her birth family. Childhood nostalgia, American animation, comic books, Korean imagery and fantasy inspire her work. Through the use of collage, a variety of faux textures, patterns and colors Choi weaves together a collection of work that explores identity, reality, parallel worlds, time travel, systemic oppression, and mystical landscapes. JooYoung met her birth father in 2007, she found her birthmother in 2008 and returned to study at Korea National University of the Arts in 2009. Her family includes: her parents who still reside in Concord, New Hampshire, her older sister Kelly, her birth father, birth mother, her birth father's wife, her sister Sooji, her step-sister Hiyana and her brothers Joo-Han and Soo-Han. In 2009, Korea completed an artist in residency at Ko-Root in Seoul Korea. Also, she created and donated baby portrait paintings to nine single mothers who live at Ae Ran Won, a home and support organization for Korean single mothers. Currently, JooYoung continues to show her support to Ae Ran Won by donated 10% of her profits from her paintings towards the purchase and delivery of prenatal and children's vitamins to the single mothers at Ae Ran Won. |
| The process of painting has guided me through the nostalgic landscapes of New Hampshire, Korea and the countless fantastical worlds that float in between. Through a loose biographical and imaginative narrate the female counterparts to Peterpan's Lostboys, travel through time, space and parallel worlds. Growing up as an adoptee I coveted family heirlooms, later on in life I realized that my paintings were my own artifacts. Paintings became the object that proved my existence in this world. The landscapes and portraits I create are postcards of the universe I began to build. Racism, trauma, adoption, bullying and dyslexia were some of the tickets that brought me on the train to my personal universe. Through collaged canvas, I discuss the mood or story of many paintings. Color schemes, pattern making and faux designs create energy, rhythm and confusion. The size, number and materials are often important aspects continue to add thoughtful complexity within my work. Through art, I document this fantastical world and create a forum for my own social critique on the present world that we call "reality". The world we presently live within and the alternate universes I have created, learned of or have enjoyed from my childhood stories blend and churn into a honest, brutal and sacred place, it's where I can expose the most delicate and precious sections of my heart. |
c.v.
JooYoung Choi
191 Green Street #147
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
617-202-1727
jooyoungc@gmail.com
www.jooyoungchoi.org
Education
Mass College of Art, Bachelors 2D Fine Arts
Korea National Univ. of the Arts, Exchange Program
Kyunghee University, Summer Program
Ewha Women’s University, Summer Program
Artist Experience
Solo Exhibitions
TJX Asian/Pacific Islander American Heritage Month, Framingham, MA. May 2010
Parker Hill Library Solo Exhibition. Roxbury, MA. May 2010
Ko-Root – Ae Ran Won Benefit. Seoul, Korea. November 2009
Vive L’Amour. 100 Bunnies. Jamaica Plain, MA. May 2009
Somerville Library. Art and Adoption. Somerville, MA. February 2008
The Middle East – AIF #005. Cambridge, MA. August 2007
Diesel – AIF #003. Somerville, MA. February 2007
The All Asia – AIF #002. Cambridge, MA. January 2007
Community Church of Boston - AIF #001. Boston, MA. December 2007
Group Exhibitions
MassArt - A.S.S. Des Refuses. Boston, MA. 2010.
All School Show. Boston, MA. 2009
Collaboration, MassArt. Boston, MA. 2009
Calvin Burnett Exhibit, MassArt. Boston, MA. 2008
The Big Gay Show, MassArt. Boston, MA. 2008
Roxbury Open Studios, MassArt. Boston, MA. 2008
Foundation Factory, MassArt. Boston, MA. 2008
DisATTACHMENT, MassArt. Boston, MA. 2006
Speaking Truth to Power, Edna Stebbins Art Gallery, Cambridge, MA 2006
International Women’s Day Celebration – La Rivolta, Boston, MA. 2006
Bunker Hill Community College, Boston, MA 2004
Awards
UUFP Stanfield Artist Award. 2009
GOA'L Scholarship. 2009
UUFP Stanfield Artist Award.2008
KAFE Ewha Scholarship.2008
UUFP Stanfield Artist Award.2007
Inter-adoptee Scholarship.2007
Somerville Arts Council LCC Cultural Heritage Grant. 2007
Projects
TA-Arts Project. Boston, MA January 2010
Ko-Root Artist in Residency.Seoul, South Korea. June 2009
Ae Ran Won Portrait Project, Seoul, South Korea. December 2009
Artist/Adoptee Lectures
CCB Trans-Racial Adoption and Artist Talk Boston, MA. May 2008
Art and Adoption-Artist Talk. Somerville, MA. Feb 2008
Collections
Ko-Root. Seoul, South Korea
Ae Ran Won “Single Mother Home” Seoul, South Korea
Bibliography
The Arc of the Universe is Long by Leslie Takahashi. 2009
APIC Hot Rice. 2009
Boston Globe “Side Kick”. 2007
Weekly Dig – “Dig This”. 2007
Somerville Journal.2007
Publications
Waxen Wings “Han” (Cover) 2010
Asian American Poetry and Writing – “New Truths” (Cover) 2009
Published in Synapse Magazine. 2005
Media and Online
Good Morning Emerson. 2007
Asian Focus, Channel 7 News with Mary Sit. 2007
www.jooyoungchoi.org. 2005
Commissions
Fallen Arrows. T-Shirt Design.2009
Bruce Belanger. Commissioned portrait. 2008
Justice School. Logo and Website Design. 2005
Lifespan Faith Development. Cover Logo Design. 2005
YRUU Promotional Materials. 2005
Jobs in the Art Field
Private Painting Instructor. Boston, MA. 2009, 2010
Art Teacher at Charter School. Chelsea, MA. 2006
Memberships
Global Overseas Adoptee Link
Asian American Resource Workshop
Fallen Arrows
Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence
Related Activities:
Volunteer English Teacher for Speakers of Other Languages at Asian Taskforce
against domestic violence. Director of Children’s Social Justice Program at the
Justice School. Art Teacher at Phoenix Charter Academy, Youth Programs Specialist
for the Unitarian Universalist Association.
| Jooyoungchoi.art@gmail.com 617.202.1727 |