Alex Choi "David in the Forest of Hereth"
M55 Art
This event has ended.
Today’s modern world moves with instant speed through the fast developing technology we rein. It might provide a convenient and comfortable life style but the speed itself takes a lot from our natural life style. As technology evolves our ability of being patient regresses. It doesn’t mean that technology lead to only negative effects, but we can’t sustain our life without it. Our life has been so dependent on technology that it is hard to go through a normal day without it. It infiltrated our homes, schools, transportation, food and every detail of our lives. Technology has made us impatient.
Despite technology making us impatient, we still seek patience within our daily lives. Though we are impatient, we just have to deal with it because life requires us to be. When we seek patience, it is to heal our inner self. Many of us meditate, practice religion or exercise. It is to improve the mental strength for the times when you have no other choice but to be patient. Patience is the key to achieving goals in life…that’s what they say…
Alex Choi has produced series of works that involves patience through his exhaustion of a modern life style. He has placed himself within an environment that requires patience such as driving 24hours straight from Miami to New York, sitting in front of 3’x4’ canvas gluing tiny wood splinters, hiking in the middle of a mountain in Korea by himself with a limited amount of resources to draw the landscape for days; or even to place himself in a gallery for fasting. These acts are done to flee from the fast moving modern world and to test his mental strength.
Alex Choi is an active independent curator who was recently established and can’t afford to limit himself to the modern world. Yet he is required to be connected to the modern communication systems in order to execute his tasks. Alex decided to premier his first solo exhibition when he realized the fact that he cannot be detached to the modern technology.
“David in the Forest of Hereth” is an exhibition, which displays the contradiction between patience and impatience. It may be a pleasant or painful procedure and it is up to you to define it. During Alex Choi’s first solo exhibition “David in the Forest of Hereth”, the artist/curator himself will be fasting for the first 7 days. Alex will create works during the fast with limited mediums: Ink and wood. Through the painful seven days, he is very curious how the work will come out. The layouts are not planned at all; it will be an expression of him through fasting.
The reason for fasting is because of the artist’s belief. His religion, Christianity, practices fasting during lent or during times of important prayers. Alex Choi believes that he is at the spiritual stage where he has to communicate with God to be closer with Him. Opening his ears and eyes to focus every sense on Him through fasting and prayer will be a gateway to get closer to God. Also, it will be an act of offering from the artist’s strong beliefs.
However, Alex Choi is not disconnecting himself from the world during the time of fasting. The process of fasting and painting will be broadcast live on Internet.
Anyone from the world may visit the exhibition through social networks such as Facebook (User Name: ALEX CHOI) and Twitter (HUGYINNY) and also at www.stickam.com/alex_choi for live streaming. By setting three webcams throughout the exhibition space, the viewers may find an artist going through many different emotional stages by not only fasting but also giving up his everyday comforts and daily habits. The settings of this exhibition will allow Alex Choi to communicate and interact with the viewers in any part of the world.
Media
Schedule
from March 04, 2011 to March 18, 2011
Opening Reception on 2011-03-04 from 18:00 to 21:00