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Ahi Choi Artwork Gifted to South Korean Embassy for 60th Anniversary
2026.05.20
ART NEWS
Ahhi Choi's work “Circle of Hope” (希望の輪), created to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the normalization of Japan-Korea diplomatic relations in 2025, was donated to the Korean Embassy in Japan on May 7. Choi is a third-generation Zainichi Korean artist born in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.
Regarding “Circle of Hope”, Choi explains: "I expressed this work in a form where circles continue to bend and connect into one." The piece represents the Japan-Korea relationship, which has been built up over many twists and turns, and he noted that "it also carries the meaning of connecting ‘En’ (縁, meaning bonds or connections), which shares the same pronunciation in Japanese as ‘En’ (円, meaning circle)." Through this, he conveyed that the work is imbued with a wish for the friendship between the two countries to continue into the future.
"Being allowed to make this donation is a source of pride for me as a third-generation Zainichi Korean. I want to do everything I can through art so that the Japan-Korea relationship continues to improve," Choi said.
An interview in which Choi speaks in greater detail about her background and how she came to become an artist is available here.
Choi's solo exhibition “Reconstructing the Everyday” is currently on view at Whitestone Ginza New Gallery through May 30, 2026.
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