Silver Insecta Lamp
Choe U-Ram, Korean, born 1970
2013
Metallic material, machinery, magnet, electronic device (CPU board, motor, LED)
13/50 + 3 AP
Overall: 11 13/16 × 11 13/16 × 5 7/8 in. (30 × 30 × 15 cm)
Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth: Purchased through the Evelyn A. and William B. Jaffe 2015 Fund
© Choe U-Ram
2024.17.3
Geography
Place Made: Seoul, South Korea, East Asia, Asia
Period
21st century
Object Name
Sculpture
Research Area
Sculpture
Time Based Media
On view
Label
Korean kinetic artist Choe U-Ram created these Insecta Lamps as part of an ecosystem of “anima-machines”—robotic organisms with souls and spirits who coexist with humans. He imbues life into them by activating rhythmic movements such as the Insecta’s five layers of wings. This subtle movement begins with the artist’s skillful engineering; here, he has meticulously connected delicate parts to create the body of the insects. Once the light is on and the wings move with a gentle touch of the switch at the end of their tails, the anima-machines come alive.
From the 2024 exhibition Attitude of Coexistence: Non-Humans in East Asian Art, curated by Haely Chang, Jane and Raphael Bernstein Associate Curator of East Asian Art
Exhibition History
Attitude of Coexistence: Non-humans in East Asian Art, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, November 16, 2024-June 29, 2025.
Published References
National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Choe U-Ram: [Stil laif], Exhibition Catalogue (Taichung: National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, 2017), 88-89.
Provenance
The artist, Seoul, Korea; sold to present collection, 2024.
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