Blurring snapshot & video Series
(this project is currently work in progress)

I see life as a play in a big theatre and each of us as a character who is playing different roles or persona. The concept of formless and shapeless consciousness was introduced to me when I was taking a philosophy class in 2006 in an effort to investigate the subject of identity.

The blurring faces become a transformational state (or process) of creating a new persona by playing a certain role. One's persona is constantly changing and it does not have any solid form or shape - just as our consciousness has no form or shape. In the Blurring series, the blurring faces are derived from the formless and constantly changing property of our ego creating a new identity. It is a moment when a new identity is forming and at the same time the old identity is being lost. The blurring faces put the definitive permanent identities to an end.

In the video, Blurring Performers, the rock band members who have very laid back personalities develop their stage persona. When they are performing, their persona is nothing but laidback. The carrot cutting performance of a woman's stereotypical perpetual role in the kitchen also is one of the personae that she plays out of many roles in her life. Also, the professor's discourse on the identity itself is a performance as a philosopher in the classroom.



Blurring Video


Blurring Performers, three channel video projection, 12 min 52 sec

As each video panel progresses, the character's head becomes blurred in and out at different times.



Blurring Snapshots

Blurring Snapshot series are diptych photographs of people standing in front of their homes. The first pictures are discreetly taken just before people are ready to pose for the picture without giving them advanced warnings for the shot. The subsequent pictures show the models posing for the "cheese, one, two, three!" moment with full awareness of the camera. As they are ready for the camera, they present and hold the best possible poses and facial expressions that they want to record on the picture.

In the Blurring Snapshot series, the posing shots with the blurring faces show the transitional moments of the performances of the models who are creating the new persona for the camera. By showing both the before and during the posing shots, you can see the change in character from the informal relaxed state to one of conscious staged performance where they are creating a new character that they want to be remembered as in the photo. The blurring faces put their identities to an end.




1. YOON CHO, The Chos, ©2007, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5





2. YOON CHO, Terri & Audrey, ©2007, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5





3. YOON CHO, The Ryans, ©2007, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5





4. YOON CHO, Tom, ©2007, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5





5. YOON CHO, The Dechenes, ©2007, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5





6. YOON CHO, The Kittelsons, ©2007, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5





7. YOON CHO, Terry & Rolando, ©2007, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5





8. YOON CHO, Linda, ©2007, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5




9. YOON CHO, The Deeters, ©2008, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5



10. YOON CHO, Penny, ©2008, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5



11. YOON CHO, Wong, ©2008, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5



12. YOON CHO, Ted, ©2008, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5



13. YOON CHO, Anna, ©2008, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5



14. YOON CHO, Angela, ©2008, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5



15. YOON CHO, Bradley, ©2008, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5



16. YOON CHO, Jerry, ©2008, 20" x 16" (each picture), diptych digital c-print, edition of 5


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©2003-2007 YOON CHO. All rights reserved.