Gardeners of Eden
Gardeners of Eden
Jonathan LeVine Gallery is proud to
present Gardeners of Eden, David Choe’s first solo exhibition of
paintings in New York. For Gardeners of Eden, David Choe will present
the full range and scale of his versatile talent. Experimenting with
mixed media, sculpture and painting, Choe’s exhibition is a
culmination of recent adventures and powerful experiences. Inspired by
being alive and loving life, Gardeners of Eden is a celebration of all
acts undeniably human. An opening reception for Gardeners of Eden will
be held on Saturday, January 6, from 7pm -9pm.
For Choe, the creative process is part of the narrative journey. “I
don’t even know what the outcome is gonna be, but that’s part of the
process, the journey has been amazing so far. It’s going to be my last
show for a long time, so I’m painting like a fighter getting ready for
the title belt." His multi-layered works are a combination of an
innate desire to create and an uncontrollable raw energy. Working
from memories from the last two years in prisons, African jungles, and
hitchhiking across America, Choe transcribes these sights and tales
into his art. Through rustic portrayals of eating, praying, crying,
and dying, Choe explores cycles of regeneration in both the self and
human nature as a whole. His love of animals and food, quest for peace
and redemption, and obsession with sex surface through these strong
narratives.
Fascinated by the unpredictable outcome of fusing various mediums,
Choe’s experimental techniques are a combination of chance, art, and
alchemy. Inspired by the quickness and immediacy of the graffiti
process, Choe transforms the gallery into a personal environment of
idiosyncratic expression. Choe paints on canvas, paper and wood using
a variety of materials including crayons, oil, house paint and latex,
to acrylics, pens, watercolors, and spray paint. Choe’s restless
creativity allows him to break ground in both subject matter and
medium. Gardeners of Eden is an experimental platform for Choe within
a gallery setting, marking a new direction for David Choe as already
highly acclaimed fine artist.
David Choe was born in 1976, raised in Los Angeles and is of Korean
descent. He is one of the most diverse and prolific artists working
today. Choe’s art, photos, and writing have been featured in Giant
Robot, and Vice magazine among numerous other publications. His
extensive client list includes Marvel Comics, Levi’s, IBM, and Nike.
Choe’s three self-published, comic/journal/novellas: Bruised Fruit,
Cursiv & Slow Jams have received awards and are sold out editions.
David Choe’s works have been exhibited in galleries internationally.
He is also one of the youngest artists ever to have a solo show at
MOCA. A trailer of the new documentary “Dirty Hands: The Art and Life
of David Choe", is available on view at http://www.dirtyhandsmovie.com.
For press inquiries and visual requests, please contact Debra
Anderson: debra@jonathanlevinegallery.com
Jonathan LeVine Gallery
529 W. 20th Street - New York