U-ram Choe

U-ram Choe
Opertus Lunula Umbra (Hidden Shadow of the Moon), National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art opening, Seoul, 2013
Born1970 (age 53–54)
Seoul, South Korea
NationalitySouth Korean
EducationChungang University
Known forKinetic Sculpture
AwardsKim Sechoong Sculpture Award, POSCO Steel Art Award
U-ram Choe
Hangul
최우람
Revised RomanizationChoe U-ram
McCune–ReischauerC'hoi U-ram

U-Ram Choe (born 1970) is an artist based in Seoul, South Korea.

Integrating both mechanical and computerized movements within his sculptures ever since the late 1990s, Choe's works push the genre of moving kinetic art toward its newer-generation iterations, such as robotic art.[1] His sculptures' skeletal systems often expose the mechanisms of its movement by laying bare its machine of motors, gears, and drives, while minimally relying upon a CPU to direct their system.[2]: 125  Many of these mechanical elements—bolts, nuts, bearings—are all custom-made; at the same time, the external materials are often hand-crafted with special finishes.[2]: 122, 125 

Often referred to as a sculptor who creates mechanical life,[3] Choe models the movement of many of his works after living creatures,[2]: 123 [4]: 364  but also fantastically combines elements of different lifeforms.[2]: 125  Though the focus of Choe's practice has shifted from animal life to human society in recent years,[5]: 10–11  across the arc of his practice the machine has served as a both reflection of human desire and an extension of humankind.[6]: 110 

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  4. ^ Kang, Mi-jŏng; 강 미정 (2020). Han'guk midiŏ at'ŭ ŭi hŭrŭm : midiŏ at'isŭt'ŭ 37-t'im ŭi int'ŏbyu. Hyŏng-gyŏng Chang, 장 현경 (Ch'op'an ed.). Kyŏnggi-do Sŏngnam-si. ISBN 978-89-6324-706-9. OCLC 1243302983.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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