Choen Lee, an artist with a knack for blending humor, philosophy, and raw creativity, likes to introduce himself with a playful nod to pop culture: “My name sounds like Chun Li from the Street Fighter video game.” This sense of whimsy and self-awareness seeps into his work, which oscillates between lighthearted charm and deeper existential questions.
Choen’s journey through the creative industry has been anything but linear. His career spans multiple roles across various fields, each contributing to his evolving artistic voice. These days, he focuses on drawing, using his pen to explore themes of identity, reality, and human perception. Influenced by manga and comic aesthetics, his style feels both familiar and fresh, drawing viewers into a world where the ordinary is questioned, and the extraordinary feels within reach.
One of Choen’s pieces, titled “Who Wants to Live Forever?”, encapsulates his philosophical bent. The artwork explores the concept of bodily augmentation and the inevitable decline of the human brain. He ponders whether our consciousness can truly persist or if future iterations of ourselves will be mere digital replicas. The piece began as an ink drawing on paper, later digitized and colored in Photoshop CS6. The square crop version of this artwork is set to be sent to the moon as part of the MoonMars/Lifeshop capsule, traveling aboard the BlueGhost Mission 1 lander—an exciting milestone that speaks to Choen’s unique place in contemporary art.
Choen’s fascination with identity stems from personal musings about perception. “I look into the mirror sometimes and wonder if it’s an entity that can perceive what we can’t of ourselves,” he explains. This curiosity about the boundaries between reality and illusion informs much of his work. He questions what is real and what society deems acceptable as reality—a theme that resonates with anyone navigating the blurred lines of digital and physical existence.
Choen was a finalist in the XIV Florence Biennale’s Open Call contest, an event known for showcasing forward-thinking artists. He also won the ftNFT Bahamut International Award and received a GOLD LIST Award in its 8th edition.
Despite these accolades, Choen remains grounded, continuing to draw and refine his craft. His work is deeply personal yet universally relatable, touching on questions we all face in an increasingly digitized world. His artistic approach—starting with traditional ink drawings and then incorporating digital enhancements—symbolizes the tension between old and new, tangible and virtual.
Beyond the philosophical themes, there’s a playful side to Choen’s art. His pieces often “steal a smile,” as he puts it, before nudging the viewer to think more deeply. This balance between humor and depth is a hallmark of his style. He invites viewers to engage with his work on multiple levels—to enjoy the visual appeal and then linger on the underlying questions.
Choen’s exploration of the future of humanity’s physical and digital evolution is especially relevant in today’s world. As technology advances, the line between human and machine becomes increasingly blurred. His artwork challenges us to consider what makes us truly human and whether our essence can be preserved in a world of artificial enhancements and digital avatars.
The moon mission featuring Choen’s work adds a layer of surrealism to his artistic narrative. The idea that his piece will rest on the lunar surface, carrying his questions about identity and existence into the cosmos, feels like a fitting continuation of his exploration of reality’s limits. It’s a poetic twist—the artist who questions what it means to be real now has a tangible piece of his vision set to exist in a place most of us will only ever dream of.
In essence, Choen Lee’s art is about the human experience—our flaws, dreams, and the ever-present question of what comes next. His work invites us to pause and reflect on how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. Whether it’s through the playful aesthetic of manga or the deep musings on identity, his art speaks to the timeless question of what it means to be human in an ever-changing world.
