Jung Hee Choi

Last Name: 
Choi
First Name: 
Jung Hee

Jung Hee Choi has worked in a variety of contemporary media: in painting, drawing, video, photography, sculpture, and multi-media installations, with several solo and group shows in New York City, Germany and Korea. Utilizing both traditional and highly experimental techniques, Choi's vision has led to the development of a unique artistic language. Ancient and universal themes inform her work in a process of assessing and defining the nature of reality. Her inquiry focuses on how we perceive being and consciousness, and ultimately, how ideas representing the interaction of opposites intertwine with one another. This pursuit began to direct Choi toward television as a medium of expression. She began exploring television as a process of communication and, more specifically, how ultra-ultra high frequency becomes visible phenomena evolving from the mixture of mind and camera, to attain an instantaneous reaction from a broad spectrum of viewers. Choi is a founding producer and director for Mantra TV, a cable and webcast vehicle for advanced arts in New York City and Korea. Her programs feature original works of art, music, dance, experimental film, and discuss the creative processes of art, abstract video, and performance. Since September 2001, programs produced by Choi for Mantra TV have been streamed onto the web; visitors to the website are invited to experience both established and evolving repertoires. In 1999, Choi became a disciple of La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela in the study of music and art, with the Kirana tradition gandha bandh red-thread ceremony in 2003. In 2002 she became a founding member of The Just Alap Raga Ensemble and has performed as vocalist in every concert. Choi has collaborated with Young and Zazeela to produce long-term video documentation of their lives and work, including the Dream House and affiliated events. She is the artistic consultant and director of camera and lighting for Jacqueline Caux's forthcoming documentary on Young and Zazeela. In May--June 2003, Choi presented RICE, a video sound performance and installation in a setting of Marian Zazeela's Imagic Light environment in the MELA Dream House, which was chosen as one of The 10 Best of 2003 in the December 2003 Artforum. Choi was one of the organizers of the 2004 New York Korean Film Festival. Choi was video director, video mastering producer and vocalist for the La Monte Young Marian Zazeela and The Just Alap Raga Ensemble long-term video installation of "05 II 05 PM NYC" Raga Sundara, ektal vilampit khayal set in Raga Yaman Kalyan at the Kunst im Regenbogenstadl Dream House, Polling, Bavaria, Germany, April 30--October 31, 2005. Choi received a Finishing Funds 2006 award from the Experimental Television Center.