CHOI BYUNGJIN KOREA, b. 1975

In the works of Byungjin Choi, the concept of 'anxiety' is deeply intertwined with the foundational theme of 'relationships.' Through these relationships, a fierce and profound will to live is sublimely expressed. Choi goes beyond merely visualizing the physical symptoms of 'anxiety'; he invites us to confront the deeper truths that anxiety embodies. Drawing from Heidegger's philosophy, our existence is thrust into the world irrespective of our will. As beings in a seemingly meaningless world, we are inevitably bound to form relationships within its structure, even as we grapple with our own insignificance. Yet, within the flow of time-where everything is finite and marked by death-we must seek the meaning of our existence. The signs of 'anxiety,' 'depression,' and 'madness' that arise from the struggle for survival reside not in the realm of consciousness but closer to the unconscious. While consciousness perceives time, the unconscious exists outside of it. Thus, the art born from the creator's anguish becomes, ironically, something of profound beauty to us as observers.

 

Beyond the representation of 'anxiety' in Byungjin Choi's works, what feels most significant is the way his art reveals truths about the human instinct for survival. It prompts us to ask: Why do these feelings emerge, and from where? To immerse oneself in and reflect on all that is experienced and connected within a finite world-this is the essence of the 'anxiety' that Choi presents to us. It is both its expression and its truth.