Choi Byung Hoon was born 1952 in Gangwondo Province, South Korea. He completed his undergraduate studies in applied arts at Hongik University in 1974, then a master’s degree at Hongik University in 1979. Choi has received numerous awards throughout his practice, including the Grand Prix at the inaugural Korea Craft Competition in 1987, the best woodcraft(carpentry) award at the 16th Korea Craft Competition in 1989, and the Korean Society of Furniture Technology Award and the Korea Design Award in 1996. Choi was awarded the Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit (玉冠文化勳章 – the ‘Jeweled Crown Cultural Merit Award’ is one of the highest honors for individuals who have made significant advances in the field of culture and arts) in 2016. This 2021 exhibition at the Johyun Gallery is his fourth in Korea, all of which have been with Johyun Gallery (‘00, ‘02, ‘11, ‘21) and also marks his 22nd solo exhibition since his first solo exhibition with Sun Gallery in 1993. Choi has also worked closely with Laffanour Galerie Downtown, presenting seven solo exhibitions (‘96, ‘97, ‘01, ‘06, ‘08, ‘10, ‘16) with the Paris-based gallery that specializes in furniture by European and American masters. He has been active and exhibited his work throughout Korea and the world, including France, the U.S., Swiss, and various European destinations. He has been a returning name at the Friedman Benda Gallery in New York which seeks to be a “platform to identify and advance key narratives that intersect contemporary design, craft, architecture, visual and conceptual art, and cutting-edge technological research.” In 2020, his work 〈Scholar’s Way〉 became a permanent installment unveiled at the opening of the new Kinder Building at the Houston Museum of Art, alongside masterworks by seven other artists such as Olafur Eliasson and Ai Weiwei. He served as a research professor at the University of Art and Design Helsinki (1988, Finland), as a research professor at the Rhode Island School of Design (1989, U.S.), and professor of design at his alma mater Hongik University (1990-2017, Korea) in various capacities, including its dean (2008-2010)>. Choi Byung Hoon’s works are in the collections of: the Museum of Fine Arts: Houston, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs Paris (Museum of Decorative Arts), the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, the M+ Museum in Hong Kong, the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany, the Korean UN Secretariat in Geneva, the Seoul Art Center-Design Museum, the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Korea, and Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art in Seoul.
최병훈은 1952년 강원도에서 태어나 1974년 홍익대학교에서 응용미술을 전공했다. 1979년 동 산미대학원을 졸업하였다. 1987년 대한민국 공예대전 대상을 수상, 1989년 한국 공예가협회상 수상, 1996년에는 올해의 디자인상을 수상했다. 지난 2016년에는 문화 예술 발전에 기여한 공으로 옥관 문화 훈장을 수훈했다. 1993년 선화랑에서의 개인전을 시작으로 이번 조현화랑에서는 22번째 전시이다. 국내에서는 조현화랑(2021,2011,2002,2000)에서만 4번째 전시이며, 프랑스 파리의 라파뉘 갤러리 다운타운 Laffanour Galerie DownTown (2016,2010…1993)에서 7번의 개인전을 가졌다. 한국뿐 아니라 프랑스, 미국, 스위스 등 유럽에서도 활발한 활동을 하고 있다. 뉴욕의 건축, 공예 등 시각 예술의 대표적인 갤러리인 프리드먼 벤다 갤러리 Friedman Benda Gallery에서도 꾸준히 전시를 이어오고 있다. 최근 휴스턴 미술관(미국) 신관에 올라퍼 엘리아슨, 아이 웨이웨이 등 세계 거장의 작가 8명과 함께 ‘선비의 길’ 작품 3점이 영구 설치되기도 했다. 알토 대학교 Aalto University (1988, 핀란드), 로드 아일랜드 디자인 스쿨 Rhode Island School of Design (1989, 미국)에서 연구교수를 역임했고, 1990년부터 최근 2017년까지 오랜 기간 동안 홍익대학교 미술대학 교수로서 학장을 역임하였다. 휴스턴 미술관(미국), 파리 장식 미술관(프랑스), 메트로폴리탄 미술관(미국), M+ 미술관(홍콩), 비트라 디자인 미술관(독일), 제네바 한국 UN사무국(스위스), 예술의 전당(한국), 국립현대미술관(한국), 리움미술관(한국) 등에 작품이 소장되어 있다.