Opening Reception: Thursday, February 1, 6pm – 9 pm
On View: Thurs Feb 1, 11:30am – 5pm, Fri Feb 2, 11:30am – 5pm, Sat Feb 3, 1pm – 5pm, Tue Feb 6, 11:30pm – 5pm

About the Exhibition “Defect & Desire”

Defect and Desire is Myungho Choi’s solo exhibition of recent paintings of monotoned expressions that address the desire for beauty, juxtaposed against accidental defects.

Drawing from a monotoned palette, Myungho presents textures, graphic motifs, and contrast. Inspired by noir films, New York City streets, 90s hip hop, and past masters such as Motherwell, Twombly, and Gottlieb, Myungho brings together the emotional effect one feels from abstract expressions, carefully planned compositions, and the mystery of accidents.

His work first modeled in the computer to provide a general visual plan, but then often negotiated on a canvas where evidence of revisions and changes can be seen as textures on the surface. Myungho also draws inspiration from street art techniques but sits in the space between abstract expressionism and the art that can be seen on the walls of urban settings.

Graphic motifs are also an important part of his visual language. He is inspired by the contemporary visuals of the commercial world but transforms them into non-referential visuals to explore the mystery of abstraction. His preference for a monotoned palette comes from his obsession with noir films that depict night scenes with glowing graphic light patterns, in the backdrop of darkness. His titles references street life aesthetics sometimes inspired by the lyrics of 90s hip hop, drawing a relationship between dark qualities of noir films and rap music. The silver-toned works highlight the textures rather than graphics, and the white canvases with minimal application relate to the simplicity of traditional Asian art, referencing his nationality.

The contrast becomes a key component, as it becomes an expression of himself, a desire for refinement, and the reality of imperfection.

About Myungho Choi

Myungho was born in 1973 in Seoul Korea, studied art at the Columbus College of Art & Design on a full scholarship, and moved to New York City in 2001 to pursue his desire to practice art and design. Influenced by the classics but embracing modernity, Myungho is moved by the incredible lineage of art and design humans have shared, that connects artists of today with the cave painters of Lascaux and beyond.

Obsessed with the emotional qualities of scale, texture, and composition, Myungho strives to create a visual sensation that references street art, design, the mystery of accidents, and the dexterity of planning. His works are often modeled on the computer but revised and negotiated in materials. Contrast becomes a key component as it becomes an expression of himself, a desire for refinement, and the reality of imperfection.

Myungho Choi is a Swiss design, filthy hip-hop, classic noir, deep house, abstract expressionism junkie from the bowels of the midwest trying suck out the marrow in New York City, aka New Jack City, aka Wall Street hood rats, aka marketing mayhem, aka starving models central, aka the planet.

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