Taeyoon Choi is an artist based in Brooklyn and Seoul who creates custom hardware and software installations, performances, and writings exploring alternative computing interfaces and human-technology relationships. Some of his projects include modular open source computers, circuit prototypes, robot artworks, and fictional applications. Through his work, he aims to imagine new ways of interacting with technology and to provoke social and aesthetic discussions around our use of computers and the internet. He is also the co-founder of the School for Poetic Computation and director of Making Lab.

1. Taeyoon Choi
Artist statement and work sample
Compiled in January 5th, 2014
http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com
taeyoon@sfpc.io
* Contact the artist before using any material in this document

2. My recent work revolve around the concept of
Software Fiction and Hardware Noir.*
I build custom hardware that contrast the
common ‘Black Box’ products in the market.
The series of working prototypes examine the
possibility of modular, open source computer
that operate on affects and percepts beyond
binary logic.
*Word choice is inspired by ‘Design Fiction and Design Noir’ used by
Dunne & Raby and others.
8 Bit Modular Computer, Custom designed hardware (2013)
http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com/2013/07/modular-input/

3. I make working prototypes in order to
imagine alternatives ways of computing and
communicating.
Note explaining workings of JK Flip Flop, Integrated Circuits and hand drawn images, video (2013)
http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com/2013/03/open-source-kit/

4. Although my artistic process often involve
technical research and development, the end goal
is social and aesthetic exploration of our
relationship with technology.
Postpostoffice, Drawings and digital photographs, postcards (2013)
http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com/2013/04/storage-to-memory/
http:/
/www.flickr.com/photos/95057526@N04/

5. Bird Call Video Link: https:/
/vimeo.com/83232785
Sine wave circuit video: http:/
/www.youtube.com/watch?
v=n9dJJ72Xa9I
Signals and code command machines.
Affects bring presence in human.

6. There is poetics in the moment
when boolean logic meets
electricity (hardware) and when
language meets mathematics
(software).
Noise Collector, sound performance in Liberty Park, NYC (2012)
Performance https:/
/vimeo.com/46561833
Exhibition at 319 Scholes, Brooklyn https:/
/vimeo.com/56892511
Documents http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com/2012/06/noisecollector/

7. Studio view
I sketch odd interface and systems, hardware with sinister complexity that reminds of
characters in film noir and a software that is absurd to the point of existential crisis.

8. Building circuit is like writing
poetry, there is play of words,
rhythm and metaphor.
Connecting electricity to
discrete components is like
placing characters in plots and
programming is like writing a
novel.
8 Bit Adder/Subtractor, working prototype, Integrated Circuits, electronics (2013)
http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com/2013/08/sfpc-kit/
http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com/2013/07/full-adder-with-nor-gate/

9. INPUT=OUTPUT
“This module is a fully configurable, primitive
binary computer that can be used for signal
generation, memory and arithmetic purpose. It
can be programmed by connecting exposed pins
Custom made circuit, NAND & HEX Inverter chip, electronics (2013)
Video Link: https:/
/vimeo.com/83232557
with jumper wires. It’s a hardware where input is
output, the circuit is signal and data is program.” 2013

10. Bit Shifter
“This is a hand wired Shift Register made from D
Custom made circuit, D type Flip Flop chip, electronics (2013)
type Flip Flop Integrated circuits. This module can
Video Link: http:/
/www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0iO5MZeKPo&feature=youtu.be
be configured for storing data as well as to multiply
binary numbers by connecting to other modules” 2013

11. User Experience, Web comic (2013)
http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com/2013/03/user-experience-1/
Software Fiction is working with imaginative applications that are technically impossible
and unrealistic. It also means writing stories about using such software.

12. Some of my writings and
drawings are made into objects
(paintings, ceramics, and
robotics).
The objects are used for video,
installation and performance.
Melancholy Pad, Acrylics on canvas (2013)
http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com/2013/03/app-paintings/

13. Anti-Manifesto, designed by Hyo Kwon. Shanghai Biennale 2012
http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com/antimanifesto/
My writings and drawings make most sense as a book.
I’ve self published zines, books in print and digital format.

14. I try to share what I care the most by
teaching, curating and activism.
I co-founded School for Poetic
School for Poetic Computation: The First Class
Computation, 10 weeks intensive school
http:/
/sfpc.io/
based in Brooklyn.
I also direct Making Lab at 4th APAP, a
community makerspace in Anyang, South
Korea. We organized 25+ workshops and
commissioned custom kits.
Making Lab
http:/
/apap.or.kr/makinglab/

15. “Occu-bot can protest in places that human civil
disobedience is not allowed, and it can also replace
human protesters.” - 2011
Occu-bott, robot and performance (2011)
http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com/2011/12/occu-bot-and-financier-bot/
“Let’s talk about Democracies. Democracy as in
IKEA and shipping containers, as in Open Source
and Free Stuff, as in Organic and Facebook, as in
Christmas lights at Occupy Wall Street.” - 2012
Speakers Corners, exhibition at EYEBEAM (2012)
http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com/speakerscorners/

16. “My friends, there is no friend!
but there is...
IFriend (Instant Friend: a DIY Kit of a friend,
includes face, hand and feet made of laser cut
acrylics, wood and electronics ), IDog (A dog with
many legs, made of mirrored acrylics and projects
a beam of laser, which is reflected by a disco ball
spinning on a screw driver.”-2011
IFriend, customa made hardware, powerpoint, performance (2011)
http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com/2011/12/ifriend/
http:/
/www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzLq_KNVg8M
http:/
/www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa5CrOKtKbc

17. Hacking IKEA, performance, Malmø, Sweden (2011)
http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com/2011/12/hacking-i-k-e-a/
https:/
/vimeo.com/33985709
Hacking IKEA
“In IKEA Mega store near Malmø, the second largest store in the
world and the largest in Europe, I made a field recording while
making noise with motors and microcontroller in the showroom,
often interacting with the shoppers and the products on display.
These six sets of improvisational performance, or ‘the action’ does
nothing much to change the soundscape of the shop or challenge
the Capitalist system or to have any means of direct action toward
the Machine.” - 2011

18. Camerautomata, custom made robot, performance (2008)
http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com/2010/12/camerautomata/
Camerautomata Charlie
“I questioned, while new technology is making our life more convenient,
automatic home electronics are replacing our labor, why is there no a
camera that takes photograph on its own. So I decided to liberate cameras
from human operation.” - 2008

19. Object of Desire
“The project started by trying to understand
tourists’ desire to photograph relentlessly.I
joined a tour group and experienced Seoul, my
home town, in the tourists’ point of view.”- 2005
Object of desire, custom made software, hardware and performance (2005)
http:/
/taeyoonchoi.com/2010/01/object-of-desire/

20. Education
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. B.F.A 2004 Department of Performance and New media
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. M.S. 2007 Department of Culture Technology
Residency and grants
Fellowship, Eyebeam Art and Technology Center 2011~2012 Residency, Eyebeam Art and Technology Center
2008 Residency, Art Center Nabi, Seoul, South Korea 2006
Grant, The Arts Council of Korea. 2007, 2009, 2011
College Art Award, Chicago Cultural Center 2003
Taeyoon Choi
Solo exhibition
Speakers Corners, Eyebeam Art and Technology Center, New York, USA 2012 My friends, there is no friend.
Artist based in Brooklyn, New York and Seoul
Spanien 13c, Aarhus, Denmark 2011
Co-founder, School for Poetic Computation 2013~
When Technology Fails, Reality Prevails. Art Space Hue, Seoul, South Korea 2007
Director, Making Lab of the 4th APAP 2013~
Selected exhibition
Anti-Manifesto Shanghai Biennale, Daejon pavilion, Shanghai, China 2012 Codes of Contingency, 319 Scholes,
New York, USA 2012
Teleport, Centre des Arts, Enghien les Bains, Paris, France 2010
From point A to point B, University of Georgia, Athens, USA 2009
Liars Picnic, Conflux City Festival, New York, USA 2009
Coffee with Sugar, Akbank Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey 2008
DISLOCATE; Art, Technology and Locality, ZAIM, Yokohama, Yokohama,Japan, 2007

21. Teaching and workshop
The Public School New York, New York USA 2010~current Dorkbot, Location One, New York, USA 2012
ARTALK, Culture Hub, New York, USA 2012
NAND to XOR, City College of New York, New York, USA, 2012
Art of Tourism, The Creators Project, Seoul, South Korea 2011
Digital Day Camp, Eyebeam Art and Technology Center, New York, USA 2011
Interactivos? Medialab Prado, Madrid, Spain 2010
Drawing +-, Parsons New School for Design, New York, USA 2009
OFLAB, Ars Electronica, Linz, Austria 2008
Interactivos? Eyebeam Art and Technology Center, New York, USA 2008
Urban Programming 101, Upgrade! International, Skopje, Macedonia 2008
Publication
Invisible Cities, Moleskine Special edition, 2012
Roadshow South Korea, New Normal Business, Total Museum of Art, 2012
Anti-Manifesto, New Normal Business, New York 2012
Urban programming 101: Stage direction, Mediabus, Seoul, 2011
Press:
Dazed and Confused, London, United Kingdom 2013
Kaleidoscope, Spring 2012
Architizer.com 2012
Dazed and Confused, Seoul, South Korea 2011
Younger than Jesus, New Museum, New York USA 2009 CNET, 2011
Kontrol; Issue#1 “The pornography of fabricating fear”. Nomad.tv 2006
Container Culture. Leornardo, Volume 39, Issue 4 - August 2006. MIT Press