Forest of Ashoka
This is the Kyoto atelier of Jae-Eun Choi, an artist known for works themed around the environment and a collaborator at the Venice Biennale 1995.
An old traditional house was renovated by removing all partitions, creating an abstract void of paper and wood for art production and exhibition. The exterior walls are clad in yakisugi (charred cedar) long used in Japanese vernacular houses, while taiko-bari shoji inspired by Korean paper screens transform light and evoke a serene sense of emptiness. The abstract detail of the Korean shoji, which hides the wooden lattice from view, was felt to complement the power of Che Jae-woon’s work.
Through this design, an attempt is made to revive Asia’s culture, grounded in respect for nature, in a contemporary context.
