Jiwon Choi

In artist Jiwon Choi’s studio, a detailed study of an upside-down wine glass hangs by the window. The walls on either side of the window are lined with large canvases that almost look like apertures themselves because of the blinds and curtains painted in as a backdrop. A small table marks the separation of the section of the shared studio occupied by the artist. Sitting at this table feels like taking a seat at the theater, looking at the stage, which is the artist’s studio, with the expectation of a spectacle, enjoying a certain feeling of intimacy and privilege of looking at a work in progress on an easel with its back to the window, only half-finished and fully exposed to the visitor’s eye. The artist takes her place on the opposite side of the table with the sunlight flooding in from the window as a backlight, in the middle of her stage and studio surrounded by paintings of blinds and curtains and ceramic dolls. When asked if the theatricality is intentional, she simply smiles and tells us, “A lot of people do make that connection. I think it’s because of the curtains and perhaps also the fact that I am often inspired by movies.” Then there is the question of light. The particular way in which light falls upon an object fascinates Choi: her paintings are composed of layers of objects which she refers to as “stickers,” each seemingly illuminated by a distinct source of light. This playful technique conveys the artist’s mastery of oil painting, her medium of choice. “I always try to cast light from a different angle on each element composing a painting. They are brought together on one canvas, but it’s as if they are in different places at the same time. This always fascinates people with a keen eye who comment on it. I like playing with light to add an element of surprise in a subtle way.”

The studio visit continues with a guided tour of her portfolio, going over her works in chronological order. Much of her work draws from personal recollections and reflections on daily life. The majority of her paintings depict porcelain dolls, creating paintings that feel like still lifes, landscapes, and portraits of women all at once. The impeccable smoothness of these porcelain surfaces tempts our sensory responses, and as if the sheer materiality of her work wasn’t enough to enthrall, her surreal compositions further provoke our curiosity. As Choi explains that she was drawn to porcelain dolls because of their charm and elegance, her eyes fill with nostalgia for an age that preceded her.  What was once a symbol of luxury and class has become an object of fascination charged with symbolism amassed over the years, an icon of femininity sometimes arguably synonymous with frailty, a personified embodiment of opulence, and a totem that couldn’t be rushed into existence.

<Read the full essay from Issue Five>