Daeng’gi Kimchi Factory

The Richard and Mica Hadar Foundation, in collaboration with Cuchifritos Gallery and Project Space, is pleased to announce Daeng’gi Kimchi Factory, an installation by Flora Choi.

In her performance/installation, Choi substitutes chopped-off daeng’gi braids (a traditional Korean hairstyle worn by adolescent girls) for cabbage, and makes her own version of Kimchi. Choi confronts the male-dominated traditions of the past and investigates the state of women in Korea today. Her installation will be accompanied by live performances on December 22 (5-7pm), December 30 (3-4pm), January 6 (3pm-4pm), and January 14 (3pm-4pm).

Flora Choi is an installation and performance artist. Her current work investigates Korea’s cultural traditions and societal constructs. She holds a BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), and lives and works in Queens, NY. She has most recently shown her performance work at the annual art festival Art in Odd Places, which hosted her piece Upbraiding Tradition along 14th Street in Manhattan. Choi is a Richard and Mica Hadar Foundation Scholar, and is currently part of the foundation’s group exhibition I Live/ I Love running from December 27, 2011 through January 7, 2012 at Second Space Gallery, in which she is showing work that derives from her Upbraiding Tradition performance piece. The show is curated by a team of Hadar mentors, including video and performance artist Bill Beirne, independent curator Erin Donnelly, and educator Beth Rosenberg.

The Hadar Foundation art committee selected Choi for a solo show due to the strength of her artistic vision and her ability to present a solo project of significant scope. One of the foundation’s goals is to offer more in-depth support to an artist of promise.

The Richard and Mica Hadar Foundation is a New York based organization that provides college scholarships, mentoring and support programs for New York City students that have financial need and who demonstrate exceptional talent and commitment to the visual, written and performing arts. The Hadar Foundation curatorial committee is made of performance artist Bill Bierne, educator Beth Rosenberg and writer Ela Bittencourt.

Cuchifritos Gallery + Project Space is a program of Artists Alliance Inc., a 501c3 not for profit organization located on the Lower East Side of New York City within the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center. Cuchifritos is supported in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. This program is made possible by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. We thank the following for their generous support: Foundation for Contemporary Arts, New York City Economic Development Corporation and individual supporters of Artists Alliance Inc. Special thanks go to our team of dedicated volunteers, without whom this program would not be possible.

Cuchifritos is FREE to the public and handicap accessible. Located inside Essex Street Market at the south end nearest Delancey.