Members of the Dartmouth community gathered in the Hood Museum of Art’s Gilman Auditorium on May 15 to listen to Korean contemporary artist Choe U-Ram reflect on his artistic journey. His art is featured in the exhibit “Attitude of Coexistence: Non-Humans in East Asian Art,” which has been displayed at the Hood since November 2024.
Choe’s work is characterized by a combination of the mechanical and the natural. With the help of complex robotics and engineering, Choe crafts kinetic sculptures — what he calls “anima-machines” — that often model living creatures. Some of his more recent works, such as 2012’s “Ouroboros” and 2022’s “Round Table” offer commentary on contemporary social issues.
Choe’s 40 minute presentation explored the development of his characteristic style at the intersection of engineering and art.
“At a certain point, I came to see machines not as inventions for human happiness,” he said. “Instead, [they] became the instruments through which human desire sought to detach itself from humanity.”
Choe’s work has been displayed in numerous museums, with solo exhibitions in Tokyo’s Mori Art Museum and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in South Korea. His works in the Hood exhibition include three pieces: “Silver Insecta Lamp,” “Gold Insecta Lamp” and “Gold Cakra Lamp.” A feat of engineering as well as art, the “Gold Cakra Lamp” consists of gold and silver metallic “kinetic sculptures” that start moving when a viewer approaches, according to the Hood website. Meanwhile, the “Insecta Lamp” pair comprise ornate winged insects made from similar metallic sculptures, whose wings move when manually activated.
Director at the Hood John Stomberg began the event with brief insights into Choe’s art, describing it as “invit[ing] reflection on the nature of human desire forever advancing technology and questioning whether it truly leads to development or instead fosters fear and anxiety.”
Curator of the exhibition, associate curator of East Asian Art Haely Chang, gave opening remarks. She described her personal experiences with Choe and his artwork. Though Chang’s initial interest was in Choe’s “innovative fusion of machine and art,” when she visited Choe’s studio in person, her focus “shifted from his non-human objects to his attitude towards them.”
“He treated his machines as friends, family and colleagues, approaching battle with affection, and a sense of camaraderie,” Chang said. “They were companions in his contemplation of broader social issues, extensions of his vision and ideals about the role of art in the era, shaped by conflicting desires. It is this attitude that I hope to bring to darkness by inviting the artists to the Museum today.”
In an interview with The Dartmouth, Chang further expressed her hope that the talk would offer insight beyond “the light and the movement of these beautiful and tricky pieces.”
“I wanted to give another layer by inviting artists [whose] artwork is not only pretty,” Chang said. “[Choe’s work features] layers of contemplation about the social issues that the human desire and the political situation in South Korea. But it’s really hard to deliver all that message in a very short museum label. So by having the artist talk through his background and his ideas and ideology of thinking that work, I think that’s how we successfully delivered another layer of his work process.”
Supplemented with a slideshow of media — including family photos, childhood drawings and videos of Choe’s sculptures — Choe outlined his childhood dream of becoming an engineer. He explained that his passion was sparked by the “Star Wars” films, animated robot films and his family’s history in the Korean automobile industry.
From his ventures into the world of sculpture to his informal education in engineering, Choe described his innovative artistic journey.
“I was fortunate to have access to the Cheonggyecheon district in the heart of Seoul where thousands of small, one-person workshops and hardware stores were crushed together in narrow alleys,” Choe said during the talk. “I visited that area almost every day, learning basic engineering skills and how to use machinery from experienced engineers in various field[s].”
Choe, who is not a native English speaker, prepared to deliver the talk for two months. Across the 13 hour time difference, he collaborated with Chang to organize and translate his ideas into a comprehensive narrative.
“I’m not very good at English, but with the help of curator Chang here, I’ve practiced hard for this talk,” Choe said. “So even if I stumble here and there, I hope you [will enjoy it] with an open and relaxed mind.”
Choe’s efforts did not go unnoticed. Jentry Campbell, a Dartmouth librarian, expressed admiration and gratitude for Choe’s dedication.
“It was incredibly brave to do an hour-long artist talk in a language that he doesn’t feel comfortable fully expressing himself in,” Campbell said.
Choe’s presentation was followed by a 20 minute discussion with associate professor at the Thayer School of Engineering Solomon Diamond and a brief Q&A with audience members.
“I’m hoping that attendees will learn that there is no line between mechanical engineering design and art … One can still look at that industrial machinery and see art and see its influence,” Diamond said in an interview with The Dartmouth. “I hope that people come away tonight, appreciating that [...] it’s a false dichotomy.”
Mimi Lan GR, an engineering student, was encouraged by Choe’s continued pursuit of his passions.
“The part I like the most is him talking about his path to doing more robotics through art when he couldn’t quite go straight to engineering school,” she said. “It was kind of an affirmation that to be curious is a positive thing.”
To Lan, Choe’s ability to follow his interest in engineering, even with an art background and indirect career path, was particularly moving.
“By following his interests, he was able to find this interesting middle ground that I think he trailblazed by himself, which is really amazing,” she said.
Choe’s artwork is on display in the Hood’s “Attitude of Coexistence: Non-Humans in East Asian Art” exhibit, which will be open through June 29.
