Page 46 - PHOTODOT 2017년 9월호 VOL.46 Sept

Untitled 13 .gelatin silver print. 35x50cm.1988

As there is a time when the encounter with a person becomes special,
the work also seems to have a right time of meeting with the object.
Gana Art planned 'Korean landscape' for the 2002 World cup and I was
invited to the exhibition. While choosing the works to be displayed at
the exhibition, I was able to realize that there were not enough elements
to represent Korea in my work. Then, a few months ago, I remembered
the bamboo that I had photographed when I went to the place, called
Damyang Soseiwon, with the students of photography department. I
had visited the Soseiwon several times before, but it wasn't until then I
noticed bamboo and photographed. With these pictures, I participated
'Korean landscape' exhibition. Since then, I traveled over Korea looking
for the bamboo forest and held an invitation exhibition at Kumho
gallery at the end of that year with the title, <Nature series - line>,
which happens to be my second exhibition just at that place. The next
year, I went to London Metropolitan University in England for a year
as an exchange professor. I missed bamboo forest enough to feel I
wanted to go during my stay. After returning to Korea, I first visited
Damyang bamboo forest and even planted bamboo first after I moved
my workshop to Ganghwa island. I was never tired at the bamboo
even if I was not at my work. That seems to be the reason that I
continue to work with the bamboo.
The <Water> series had good response both at home and 'Bamboo' series is divided into <Bamboo Sauare>, <Bamboo
abroad. Could you tell me about this work? panofama>, and <Bamboo Gray>, the latest work. I am
<Water> is the work of photographs about the ripples on the surface of wondering about the difference among them and how
the lake at dawn. On a day without wind, the surface of the lake is clear differently you photographed.
and calm like a mirror. Breaking the silence, the fish make small ripples The series of <Bamboo Square> and <Bamboo Panorama> taken
and bubbles on the surface with small movement and breathing. I at the beginning of the "Bamboo" series contain the same contents.
photographed the life form of a small being awakens the day. The The difference is in spatial sensations according to the format of the
work contains extensively restrained shape, and tested the limits of square and that of the rectangular. I was often asked if I was shooting
minimalist photography. It is the most genuine photograph that looks at night using lighting, but I did not use artificial lighting at all and
like an art work but has photographic reality. It only minimizes the photographed during the day. I took advantage of the nature of the
photo-realistic reality by intentionally suppressing the illustrative image. photo-substance mechanism to darken the background. The bright
In 2008, several pieces of the series were displayed at a solo exhibition and dark area of bamboo forests can be seen together with naked
in Shanghai, and it was favorably noticed for the expression of Orient eyes. But, when you take a picture, with the exposure adjusted to the
spirit. Three of the <Water> series was permanently kept at Charleroi bright part, the details of the dark part cannot be captured by the film
Photo Museum in Belgium in 2014 and it was the 1st case as a Korean and the background becomes dark. There are many photographs
photographer. focusing on one or two bamboo trees deep into the forest using a
How does the series of <Bamboo>, not an exaggeration to say that telephoto lens. The light from 4 pm to 5 pm deeply digs deep into
it is the representative work of Choi Byung-kwan, come to life? the forest, and it was at this moment that I caught the light as if I were

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