Jung Hee Choi
Jung Hee Choi is a South Korean-born artist and musician, based in New York City, working in video, performance, sound and multi-media installation. Since 1999, Choi has been a disciple of La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela in the study of music and art. Choi, with Young and Zazeela, is a founding member of The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, and has performed as vocalist with the ensemble since 2002.
Choi's work has been presented in the U.S., Europe and Asia, including FRAC Franche-Comté, France; Berliner Festspiele, Germany; Dia Art Foundation, Guggenheim Museum and MELA Foundation Dream Houses, NYC; FRESH Festival, Bangkok; and the Korea Experimental Arts Festival, Korea. The New York Times listed Choi’s Tonecycle for Blues performed by her Sundara All Star Band as one of The Best Classical Music Performances of 2017.
Work
Choi’s electroacoustic and modal improvisation ensemble, Sundara All Star Band was premiered in 2015 performing her Tonecycle for Blues Base 30 Hz, 2:3:7 Ensemble Version with 4:3 and 7:6 at Dia 15 VI 13 545 West 22 Street Dream House, Dia Art Foundation, New York. The members include La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Jon Catler, fretless guitar; Brad Catler, Hansford Rowe, fretless bass and Naren Budhkar, tabla. The New York Times listed Choi’s Tonecycle for Bluesas one of The Best Classical Music Performances of 2017, “Heard in its latest iteration, this October, the deep groove of the work’s slow-tempo ‘ektal vilampit’ section had a unique majesty. Heaving funk progressions from a fretless bass mingled with tabla percussion and sustained vocal tones of pristine calm.”Choi has presented series of environmental compositions with video, evolving light-point patterns, drawing, incense, performance and sound involving the concept of “Manifest, Unmanifest”. She describes the work as a “synthesis of expression" that "collectively creates an intersubjective space as a unified continuum and emphasizes the totality of sense perceptions as a single unit to create a state of immersion.”
The New York Times described her environmental composition, Ahata Anahata, Manifest Unmanifest IX at Dia 15 VI 13 545 West 22 Street Dream House, as a work wherein,
Selected exhibitions and performances
2015- Pandit Pran Nath 97th Birthday Memorial Tribute, Three Evening Concerts of Raga Darbari,
Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- Tonecycle for Blues Base 30 Hz, 2:3:7 Ensemble Version with 4:3 and 7:6, World premiere live
Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Jon Catler, fretless guitar; Brad Catler, fretless bass; Naren
Budhkar, table, La Monte Young Marian Zazeela Jung Hee Choi Dia 15 VI 13 545 West 22
Street Dream House, Dia Art Foundation, New York
- Ahata Anahata, Manifest Unmanifest IX, multimedia installations: Light Point Drawings No. 19,
Sound Environment, TONECYCLE BASE 30 HZ, 2:3:7, The Linear Superposition Of 77 Sine
Wave Frequencies Set In Ratios Based On The Harmonics 2, 3 And 7 Imperceptibly Ascending
Toward Fixed Frequencies And Then Descending Toward The Starting Frequencies, Infinitely
Revolving As In Circles, In Parallel And Various Rates Of Similar Motion To Create Continuous
Slow Phase Shift With Long Beat Cycles; June 13, 2015 to October 24, 2015; La Monte Young
Marian Zazeela Jung Hee Choi Dia 15 VI 13 545 West 22 Street Dream House, Dia Art
Foundation, New York
- Pandit Pran Nath 19th Anniversary Memorial Tribute, Three Evening Concerts of Raga Darbari,
Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. Dia 15 VI 13 545 West 22 Street Dream House,
Dia Art Foundation, New York
2014
- Pandit Pran Nath 96th Birthday Memorial Tribute, Three Evening Concerts of Raga Darbari,
Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- Tonecycle Base 30 Hz, 2:3:7 Vocal Version with 4:3 and 7:6, live performances in the setting of
Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices, sine wave frequencies. MELA Foundation Dream House, New
York
- Ahata Anahata, Manifest Unmanifest VIII, multimedia installations: video, drawing, sound,
Foundation Dream House, New York
- Pandit Pran Nath 18th Anniversary Memorial Tribute, Three Evening Concerts of Raga Darbari,
Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
2013
- Ahata Anahata, Manifest Unmanifest VII, multimedia installations: video, drawing, sound
- A Raga Lesson, Film, 16mm, color, sound, 12 minutes
- Pandit Pran Nath 17th Anniversary Memorial Tribute, Three Evening Concerts of Raga Darbari,
Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- Environmental Composition 2011 #2, , multimedia installation: video, drawing, sound;
2012
- Pandit Pran Nath 94th Birthday Memorial Tribute, Three Evening Concerts of Raga Darbari,
Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- Tonecycle Base 30 Hz, 2:3:7 Vocal Version, live performances in the setting of Ahata Anahata,
Choi, voices, sine wave frequencies. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- Ahata Anahata, Manifest Unmanifest VI, multimedia installations: video, drawing, sound
- Pandit Pran Nath 16th Anniversary Memorial Tribute, Three Evening Concerts of Raga Darbari,
Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- Environmental Composition 2012 #1, multimedia installation: video, drawing, sound; March 19 –
- Pandit Pran Nath Memorial Tribute Tour, Five Evening Concerts of Raga Darbari,
Budhkar, tabla; MaerzMusik/Berliner Festspiele, Berlin, Germany; March 19, 24, 31, 2012
ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany; April 7, 2012
Kunst im Regenbogenstadl, Polling, Germany; April 14, 2012
2011
- Ahata Anahata, Manifest Unmanifest V, Environmental Composition 2011 #2 Tonecycle Base 65 Hz, 2:3:7; RICE; AUM
performance; December 6, 2011 – January 20, 2012;
Resonant Bodies, ERBA de Besançon, France
- Pandit Pran Nath 93rd Birthday Memorial Tribute, Three Evening Concerts of Raga Darbari,
Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- Tonecycle Base 65 Hz, 2:3:7 Vocal Version, live performances; September 3, 10, 2011;
Foundation Dream House, New York
- Ahata Anahata, Manifest Unmanifest IV, Environmental Composition 2011 #1 ; Tonecycle Base 65 Hz, 2:3:7 Vocal Version; RICE;
- 1; Composition BD 2011 #2, multimedia installations: video, drawing, sound; August 25 –
- Color w. Tonecycle Base 65 Hz, 2:3:7, a video sound installation; June 9–10, 2011;
- Pandit Pran Nath 15th Anniversary Memorial Tribute, Three Evening Concerts of Raga Darbari,
Hee Choi, voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
2010
- Pandit Pran Nath 92nd Birthday Memorial Tribute, Two Concerts of Evening Ragas, November 6,
voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- Environmental Composition 2010 II , multimedia installation:
New York
- Ahata Anahata, Manifest Unmanifest III, Environmental Composition 2010 #1 ; Tonecycle Base 65 Hz, 2:3:7; RICE; Composition 2006 #3
2008 #2; Composition BD 2008 #4; Composition BD 2008 #5; Composition BD 2006 #2,
multimedia installations: video, drawing, sound; August 21 – September 11, 2010. Solo
exhibition, MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- AUM, a video sound installation;
Gallery Artrang, Seoul, Korea
- Room with a View v.2, a video sound installation
Korea
- Pandit Pran Nath 14th Anniversary Memorial Tribute, Two Concerts of Evening Ragas, June 12,
voices; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
2009
- Environmental Composition 2008 #1 , multimedia
Faces & Facts: Korean Contemporary Art in New York, Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of
Korean Cultural Service; December 10, 2009 – February 19, 2010; Sylvia Wald and Po Kim Art
Gallery, New York
- Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra in Raga Sindh Bhairavi, live performance; October 28, 2009; The Just
Memorial, Park Avenue Armory, New York
- RICE abstract version, a video sound installation
Bangkok
- Room with a View, a video sound installation
- Pandit Pran Nath 91st Birthday Memorial Tribute, Two Concerts of Evening Ragas, November 13,
The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Naren
Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- Ahata Anahata, Manifest Unmanifest II, Environmental Composition 2009 #1 ; Tonecycle Base 65 Hz, 2:3:7; RICE; Composition 2006 #3
2008 #2; Composition BD 2008 #4; Composition BD 2008 #5; Composition BD 2006 #2,
multimedia installations: video, drawing, sound
Solo exhibition, August 29 – September 19, 2009; MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- ACAW Artists Portfolio 2009, online presentation, May 10 – 18, 2009; Contemporary Art Week
- RICE, video sound installation and live performance, March 28, 2009; Dream House in The Third
- Tribute to Pandit Pran Nath, Two Evening Raga Concerts, March 14, 21, 2009; Raga Sundara,
Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant, voices; Jon Catler,
electric sustainer guitar; Charles Curtis, cello; Naren Budhkar, tabla. Dream House
in The Third Mind exhibition, Guggenheim Museum, New York
2008
- Jung Hee Choi Drawings, Video and Sound Installation
- Jung Hee Choi Drawings, Video and Sound Installation; November 7 – 10, 2008. Asian
- Pandit Pran Nath 12th Anniversary Memorial Tribute, Two Evening Raga Concerts, June 20, 27,
Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant,
voices; Jon Catler, electric sustainer guitar; Charles Curtis, cello; Naren Budhkar, tabla.
MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- Room with a View, a video sound installation,
- Tribute to Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan Sahib, Two Evening Raga Concerts, February 8, 15, 2008;
La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant, voices; Jon Catler, electric
sustainer guitar; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
2007
- Baby Blues, 16mm film
Bangkok
- Composition 2007 #2 based on the scale of Yaman, video & live performance in collaboration
- RICE, a video sound installation
- Pandit Pran Nath 11th Anniversary Memorial Concerts, June 29, July 6, 2007; Raga Sundara,
Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant, voices; Jon Catler,
electric sustainer guitar; Charles Curtis, cello; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream
House, New York
- Ahata Anahata, The manifest The unmanifest, As a wheel that is one-rimmed and threefold with
Composition 2006 #3 ; Composition 2006 #4 ; Composition in the style of La
Monte Young’s 1960 sustained friction sounds, multimedia installations: video, sound, drawing;
April 11 – 28, 2007. Solo exhibition, Tompkins Square Gallery, New York
- Tribute to Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan Sahib – Two Concerts in the Dream House; January 6, 13,
Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant,
voices; Jon Catler, electric sustainer guitar; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream
House, New York
2006
- Composition 2006 #2, 16 states of experience, multimedia installations: video, sound
- Environmental Composition 2006 #3 multimedia installation: video,
- Pandit Pran Nath 10th Anniversary Memorial Concert, June 17, 24, 2006; Raga Sundara, ektal
La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant, voices; Jon Catler, electric
sustainer guitar; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
2005
- RICE, video sound installation and live performance, Composition in the style of La Monte
11 – 25, 2005;
La Monte Young 70th Birthday Celebration, MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- RICE, video sound telecast; November 11, 2005; La Monte Young 70th Birthday Celebration.
- Tribute to Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan Sahib, Raga Sundara, ektal vilampit khayal set in Raga
Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant, voices; Rose Okada, sarangi; Naren
Budhkar, tabla; La Monte Young 70th Birthday Celebration. MELA Foundation Dream House,
New York
- Tribute to Abdul Wahid Khan, Raga Sundara, ektal vilampit khayal set in Raga
Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant, voices; Rose Okada, sarangi; Charles
Curtis, cello; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
2004
- Pandit Pran Nath 86th Birthday Memorial Tribute, November 6, 2004; The Just Alap Raga
Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- Memorial Tribute to Pandit Pran Nath and Ustad Hafizullah Khan; Avant Premiere, Raga
Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, Da’ud Constant,
voices; Charles Curtis, cello; Naren Budhkar, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
2003
- In Memoriam Pandit Pran Nath, Raga Yaman Kalyan, Raga Sindh Bhairavi, live performance,
The Just Alap Raga Ensemble, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Rose
Okada, sarangi; Tzara Vierck, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- RICE, a video sound installation and live performance, Composition in the style of La Monte
Fridays, May 9 – June 20, 2003. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- RICE, a video sound installation
- RICE, a video sound telecast
2002
- Pandit Pran Nath 84th Birthday Memorial Concert, live performance, Sunday, November 2, 2002;
Okada, sarangi; Brad Catler, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- One Comprehends Plethora, Plethora Comprehends One, video performance, collaboration with
Kunst im Regenbogenstadl, Polling, Germany
- A Concert in Memory of Ustad Hafizullah Khan, Raga Darbari, Raga Bhairavi, live
Marian Zazeela, Jung Hee Choi, voices; Brad Catler, tabla. MELA Foundation Dream House, New York
- RICE, multimedia installations: sculpture, video, sounds; March 2 – 17, 2002;
2001
- A Mixt Event: Jung Hee Choi Two Video Installations, One Comprehends Plethora, Plethora
Diapason Sound and Intermedia Gallery, New York
- Sleep, video sound telecast, sound: Charles Curtis
2000
- One Comprehends Plethora, Plethora Comprehends One, collaboration with Charles Curtis and
Vespers 03, Amphitheater, New York
- Sumptuous Bars; Butterflies, Sleep, video performances, collaboration with Michael J.
- One Comprehends Plethora, Plethora Comprehends One, collaboration with Charles Curtis,
- Sumptuous Bars, video telecast, sound: Charles Curtis; Television Art, MNN, New York
- Nuclear, performance art; Space Untitled, New York
Exhibition curator and co-curator
- Thinking MEDIA III
2011
- Glocal Media Art Festival, International Program
2010
- 9th Korea Experimental Arts Festival, film and video program
- Two Mobile Theaters, Seoul, Korea
- BITT 2010 Festival for the Arts
2009
- The Third Annual KU Exhibition of International Professors
- ADFUL: International Exhibition of the University Students 2009
2008
- The Second Annual KU Exhibition of International Professors
- ADFUL: International Exhibition of the University Students 2008
2007
- KU Exhibition of International Professors
2006
- Syn-Aesthetics, the Media Mavericks 1st Experimental Film Festival,
Honors, grants, and commissions
2015- Project Grants Award, New Music USA, New York
- Commission, MELA Foundation, New York
- SIFF Performance Thesis Grant, New York University, New York
- Grant, Contemporary Art Week, New York
- Honor, Summa Cum Laude, New York University
- Grant, Experimental Television Center, Finishing Fund, New York
- Commission, MELA Foundation, New York
- Commission, MELA Foundation, New York
- Honor, The 10 Best of 2003, Artforum, New York
Collections
- Ahata Anahata, Manifest Unmanifest IX; Light Point Drawings #19, #20, #21 and #22; RWV for
77 Sine Wave Frequencies Set In Ratios Based On The Harmonics 2, 3 And 7 Imperceptibly
Ascending Toward Fixed Frequencies And Then Descending Toward The Starting Frequencies,
Infinitely Revolving As In Circles, In Parallel And Various Rates Of Similar Motion To Create
Continuous Slow Phase Shift With Long Beat Cycles; La Monte Young Marian Zazeela Jung
Hee Choi Dia 15 VI 13 545 West 22 Street Dream House, Dia Art Foundation, New York
2013
- Environmental Composition 2011 #2; Light Point Drawings #5 and #6, RWV for LPD v.2,
2012
- Composition LPD 2012 #1 one of two , Light Point Drawing on Black Wrap
- Composition LPD 2012 #1 two of two , Light Point Drawing on Black Wrap
- Composition EP 2011 #3, Etching, silver print on black paper, edition of 7
- Composition BD 2009 #4, Pencil on Black Paper
- Composition BD 2009 #3, Pencil on Black Paper
- A Spirit, Pencil on Black Paper
- Transition, Rubber & Design Cast Sculpture
Instructor and lecturer
- Le Quai, Ecole Supérieure d'Art de Mulhouse, France
- School of Visual Art, New York
- The Kirana Center for Indian Classical Music, North Indian Raga, New York