崔素榮 (1980年生)

Choi So Young is a contemporary Korean artist who is best known for transforming trite subject matters into intimate yet universally compelling artworks. She does so by using a personalized medium of recycled denim to paint autobiographical cityscapes of her hometown in Busan, Korea. Her innovative choice of medium plays a powerful role in stimulating emotions of nostalgia through visual and olfactory senses. The faded texture and ragged condition of the everyday fabric not only embodies a passage of time associated with its history, but also denotes the fundamental human need for protection and expression of character. Moreover, the elaborate depiction of an urban landscape lends a cultural and social commentary on the rapid modernization of the capitalist and consumerist society. Hence, upon viewing Choi’s works, the viewer is able to recall personal memories and reflect on the encompassing urbanization of the society.