Page 55 - 박광린 개인전 2025. 9. 26 – 10. 1 아트프라자갤러리

Once Again, I Faced Myself

Aaron Siskind (1903–1991), regarded as a pioneer of abstract photography in the 20th century, left a lasting impression
on me when I first encountered his work years ago. The fresh impact I felt then still lingers deeply. Initially a documentary
photographer, Siskind began in the 1940s to abstractly capture urban decay—worn walls, scratches, graffiti. Though some
critics and photographers at the time resisted his approach, his innovative sensibility inspired many contemporaries and helped
expand the artistic boundaries of modern photography. Perhaps the photographic temperament that flows within me has also
been shaped by his influence.

This exhibition, Unfamiliarity and Familiarity, is not bound by specific techniques or subjects. It spans a wide range of contexts
and periods, from images taken 13 years ago to recent works. While my early focus was on alleyways in marginalized areas, my
recent work explores visual composition—layering images and approaching them with painterly sensibilities to reinterpret
them in new ways. Rather than typical abstraction, the exhibition seeks to reexamine the essence of objects through patterns
and compositions, reversing the gaze between the unfamiliar and the familiar to offer a fresh experiential perspective.

At times, I’ve drawn inspiration from the paintings of Mark Rothko (1903–1970). Though his works may appear as simple
planes, they evoke spaces where emotion and contemplation intersect. My adoption of such concepts is not merely a variation
in technique, but an attempt to explore the fundamental meaning of photography and propose a new direction for non-
representational photographic art.

As one philosopher said, humans are thinking beings, but we do not always think. We are more likely to fall into contemplation
not through the familiar, but through the sudden encounter with the unfamiliar. Just as a landscape we often overlook can
suddenly feel new, abstract photography opens a space for reflection. Photographs that think, and photographs that make us
think, reveal their presence at the boundary where unfamiliarity and familiarity repeat. And in time, everything eventually seeps
into familiarity.

Preparing for this exhibition, I once again faced myself. My photographic tendencies remain unchanged from forty years ago.
The temperament and sensibility embedded in my work are my colors, my nature. To me, photography is akin to painting—
not in the sense of blurring the line between the two, but as an artistic act rooted in perception and sensation. It reflects my
enduring desire to pursue aesthetic experimentation rather than merely document reality. Exploring my relationship with
painterly images allows me to confront the essence of my being and follow an instinctive path toward new unfamiliarity.

This exhibition was selected for the 2025 Senior Artist Support Program by the Chuncheon Cultural Foundation. Though the
title “senior” still feels unfamiliar, I imagine it too will become familiar with time.

September 2025

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