Korean-American mixed media artist Soojin Choi will be visiting the University of Wisconsin on Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. in the Conrad A. Elvehjem Building as part of the Fall 2023 Visiting Artist Colloquium.
Choi has put her name on the map as she continues to redefine the traditional and functionalist approaches of Korean ceramics. Her utilization of flat surfaces paired with visual representation of human emotion presents a complex array of feelings.
Having grown up in South Korea, Choi attended art school in the early 2000s, dreaming of becoming a painter. Following her brother to the U.S., it was only after an opportunity to study in the States in 2010 that her dislike for the methods of South Korean arts education became apparent. Korean art education focused on realism, which was at odds with her personal style, Choi said. Seeking to familiarize herself with a new education, she moved to America.
Choi attended Virginia Commonwealth University and earned a BFA in Craft/Material studies along with Painting/Printmaking studies in 2015.
An elective ceramics course at VCU which included free clay opened an opportunity for Choi to experiment creatively and less traditionally.