Page 38 - PHOTODOT 2017년 7월호 VOL.44 Jul

On the first page of the <National Song Contest> photography
book is written “I read alienation and paradox in the outlet of ex-
aggerated liberation.” What was the message you wanted to com-
municate in the <National Song Contest> series?
The National Song Contest represents Korea, I think. The contes-
tants, young and old, have all kinds of background and come from
many difference places. Most contestants, when the step up and
stand on the stage, experience the world of fantasy and exude all
the hidden desires and “dreams” they have not expressed before.
At that moment, you see the “true face” of Korea and the Korean
people today, raw and unaltered. Everyone has desires and dreams
to show and express in their psychology. The National Song Con-
test is the outlet of such desires and dreams. There, the express
their true colors. And I think they represent Korea in totality. A
person’s identity lies in a close network of society. The contestants
who come from all the different parts of Korea make me think that
the show is like an illustrated picture book of the 21st century
Korea or the Great Portrait Map of Korea. ‘My work began as a
research on contemporary people of Korea, but I think the portrait
photographs are now showing a hidden relationship so society too.
I think the clear awareness of problem is one of the strengths of
an artist. Do you have your own way of coming up with a concept
for your work?
전국노래자랑, 강원도 화천, 2015, 152X195cm, Achival Pigment Print
Sometimes I think the way people look at photography today is
too concept-focused. This is probably because there is a prevalent
thought that a photographer should work on his work with clear fill in the things that you lack in yourself first, I think.
understanding of the subject theme rather than taking photographs Several years ago, the Seoul Art Center held an exhibition of Your-
at will by accident. When I was taking a criticism class at school, stu- suf Karsh, the giant in portrait photography. He worked some of
dents were often asked questions such as “what is the idea behind the best known celebrities of the 21st century such as Winston
your work? What is the story you want to tell through your work?” Churchill, Albert Einstein and Audrey Hepburn. He is called the
Whenever I heard these questions, I thought a lot about conceptu- “text book of portrait photography” for his ability to capture the
al approach to art and photography. If my works show clear aware- essence of people at an instance in his work. The other day, there
ness of subject theme, it is because all the time I spent then, I was an exhibition of original vintage prints of photographs Karsh
think. However, the concept itself usually comes from intuition or himself made, which received great attention. With progress in dig-
instinct. But intuition or instinct does not come by luck. Things that ital technology, filming and print methods have become diverse.
you usually see and think about overlap one another for some time How do you develop your prints?
and eventually come out. Such intuition is made possible by all the If you can develop original vintage prints, I think it is meaningful in
physical and mental materials that surround me. Therefore, in order itself. There are several dozens of print papers, and choosing the
to come up with a good concept for your work, it is important to paper to print your photographs is itself the creative realm of an

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