At first look, I find Xoo-Ang's work to be most alien in some forms, to the point of being eerie and almost monstrous. That point of view, isn't one I'd wish audiences to receive from my work but its interesting to see the adverse and strong message Xoo-Ang is clearly depicting in his work. He obviously, intentionally developed “ugly” forms, most likely due to the fact that people with Asperger's are commonly viewed this way due to their capabilities in social interaction. After a while of viewing the work and/or revisiting the work, there's a sense of empathy you feel for the sculptures and the people they are depicting. A deep feeling of comfort and assistance, overwhelms me. It makes me think there is a quality in the human race that feels a need to assist and support. Perhaps, due to their/our own afflictions with negative social interactions and experiences.
"Islet of Asperger" series, Choi Xoo-Ang
"Islet of Asperger" series, Choi Xoo-Ang
"Islet of Asperger" series, Choi Xoo-Ang
"Asperger syndrome is a disorder closely related to autism. While it differs from it in relative preservation of cognitive and linguistic capabilities, it is unmistakably stamped with difficulties in social interaction. Because people with Asperger syndrome cannot recognize and display emotions, they lack the ability to act empathically and are often perceived as “cold”. Artist Choi Xoo-Ang uses the implications of these pathological symptoms, in his “Islet of Asperger” series, to strongly comment on the individual in a society, whose social persona has suffocated the free thinking and free acting man inside. All that remains of these individuals are over-sized sensory organs, even incomplete in numbers expected in humans, that have evolved to great dimensions to be able to replace what was a mind. These creatures only seem to act and think independently but in fact are guided solely by social conformism, of which they are now totally dependent. They have no courage, no will and are ever growing closer to a vegetative state in terms of social roles. It’s an ugly reduction of the ideal state of human, and Mr. Xoo-Ang has done a terrifyingly superb job of capturing the pure essence of it. His sculptures are of concrete, colored only in small areas, significant to the message they convey, and bland everywhere else. The message is strong in both it’s visual impact and in reflections it raises in our minds. Some might find content below disturbing."
Information found: http://www.wowcollector.net/2011/06/island-of-autism/
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