RUBBER FACE SERIES

SCULPTURE WORKS MADE FROM RECYCLING RUBBER(OLD TIRES)  |   2019-present

Material exploration plays a central role in the work of Choi Ok Yeung, particularly in his innovative use of rubber. For Choi, engaging with the inherent properties of materials—especially unconventional ones like rubber—is not a matter of simple selection, but an essential part of his creative process. Understanding how rubber behaves and discovering which paints adhere to it properly form a critical foundation for achieving the expressive outcomes he seeks.

After encountering rubber gum, Choi began experimenting with it in a unique way—wrapping and molding the material as though drawing with lines. These sculptural gestures evolved beyond traditional drawing, resulting in abstract, three-dimensional forms that possess a curious, almost otherworldly presence. These masses, as he calls them, often resemble imagined lifeforms—alter egos from a universe of his own creation—capturing the raw energy and cosmic expression reminiscent of the universe's fiery birth.

In pursuit of these forms, Choi even subjected rubber to intense heat, likening the process to making rice cakes in a factory. By melting and reshaping the material, he was not merely altering its color or appearance, but reinterpreting its very essence. This exploration opened new sculptural possibilities and allowed him to push the boundaries of what rubber—as both medium and metaphor—could express.