He thought to himself, “Ah, these ginkgo leaves feel how I feel today.”
After graduating from University as a mechanical engineer, Choi Sungwoo went into the corporate workforce to work at a large car company only to find himself incredibly unhappy. What did make him happy though, was woodworking. He dove head first into his obsession, and rented a small studio space in Seoul, where he would wake up at 4 am to woodwork before he went into the office. He would leave his house wearing his business suit, and when he arrived at his studio, put on head-to-toe coveralls to protect his clothes. He worked on his passion until 8 am when it was time to clock in. On a day the artist was feeling particularly defeated at work, he went outside to take a break. It was raining and the ground was covered in ginkgo leaves. They had been trampled, and the leaves were drenched, lifeless, and dirty. He thought to himself, “Ah, these ginkgo leaves feel how I feel today.” And with this understanding – a moment where nature and man acknowledge one another – the artist began to create his ginkgo leaf series. His woodworking hobby would soon become a path towards a career in woodworking and art.
