Michael Joo
b. 1966, Ithaca, NY
Laser Character No.4, 1997
Laser Character No.2 (Indulgence), 1997
Digital print with pen and erasure
Courtesy the artist

Michael Joo is an artist whose multidisciplinary practice examines concepts of perception, identity, and natural phenomenon with an emphasis on materializing the invisible.In his video work Laser Character, Joo uses a laser beam to draw characters on an American flag flown at the Custom House at the World Trade Center, all while being vigilant of security guards. The laser creates luminous trajectories that spell out the names of countries with which the U.S. has had military or commercial relations, as the artist recalls.