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Renowned for his ornate and whimsical kinetic sculptures, Korean artist U-Ram Choe has spent the past couple months working as an Artist in Residence at the Autodesk Workshop at Pier 9 in San Francisco.
Choe has access to a wide range of digital fabrication and additive manufacturing tools at the workshop, but his Digital Prototyping tool of choice is Autodesk Inventor software. For his innovative work, Choe has been recognized as the Autodesk Inventing the Future recipient for May.
Autodesk seeks Inventing the Future candidates each month from its Manufacturing customer base through a brief Q&A interview on a company or individual addressing their business, products and inventive spirit. Here’s what Choe had to say about his art, future goals and experiences leveraging Autodesk software:
Autodesk: What does your studio develop and why is it important to the world?
Choe: First and foremost, I am an artist 100 percent. I’ve always loved making things, specifically creatures that move. Motion is life, and every life has motion — slow or fast. When I create something, I try to mimic natural motion and give life to the piece. I want my pieces to inspire people, because without inspiration, life would be too boring!
Autodesk: How has adopting technology helped your artwork evolve?
Choe: Technology helps and supports things. It helps me show what I need to show, without being overt. The technology in my pieces hides in plain sight, but it doesn’t hinder my process. I need technology to be flexible enough to adapt to the needs of the pieces.
Autodesk: What Autodesk software do you use and why?
Choe:I primarily use Autodesk Inventor software. I have not seen any other product that gives me the freedom that Inventor does. It would be impossible for me to design movement without it. For example, I can simulate how a certain piece will move in Inventor, whereas in the past I had to physically make the part and test it out.
Autodesk: Where do you see yourself 20 years from now?
Choe:In 20 years, I hope to see myself with a little store where students would feel free to stop in and ask me questions about their work. The store would also be the not-so-hidden entrance to a huge warehouse, much like what the Pier 9 workshop looks like. I think of Pier 9 as a blueprint for my future shop. When you step into the Pier 9 workshop, you get this feeling of being limitless, like any idea could be made there.
Autodesk: What does being an artist mean to you? [You fill in blank with your occupation.]
Choe: Being an artist means I try to change the way people view the world. I want to show the audience new things and make them feel something new. After looking at my pieces, I want someone to feel moved and maybe even evolve his or her current way of thinking.
Do you think you have what it takes to be recognized by Autodesk for Inventing the Future? If so, send in your submission to inventingthefuture@autodesk.com.
