Lies of Lies: On Photography

General
Information
Title. <Lies of Lies: On Photography>
Period. 2015. 04. 23 (Thur) - 06. 21 (sun)
Venue. Total museum (Republic of korea)
Receiption. 13 May 2015 (Wed) 17:00
Curator. Nathalie Boseul Shin
Coordinator. Euna Kim, Ana Hyijeong Chu, Danbi Choi
Artists. KOO Bohnchang, KWON Sunkwan, GWON Osang, KDK, KIM Jinhee, KIM Taedong,
NOH Suntag, MOON Hyungmin, Area Park, BACK Seungwoo, WON Seoungwon,
YOON Byoungjoo, JANG Boyun, JUNG Yeondoo, CHUNG Heeseung, HA Taebum,
HAN Kyungeun, HWANG Kyutae
Supported by Seoul Metropolitan Government
Introduction
“Do photos not tell a lie?”
Once, I went to a photography workshop held in Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia by a photographer.
The photographer had a workshop entitled with ‘Telling a Lie with Photos.’ In his first class, the
photographer asked the students, “What do you think a photo is?” They confidently answered
that photos are document and evidence of a fact. The photographer showed them how well
photos can tell a lie. After the workshop was done, he asked the question again. Hesitating to
say, they could not answer the question readily.
A Photo, indeed, is a good liar. That is not because now we can use technology such as
Phtoshop according to development of digital technology. A photo is a congenital liar. It can
cunningly tell a lie for a situation, depending on how you compose the rectangular frame; how
you set up the distance between the camera and the subject; and which angle you make.
Because people think that photos take reality itself, they think that photos cannot tell a lie.
Lies of Lies: On Photography is the exhibition dealing with the topic of photography. 18 artists
and photographers actively working these days join this exhibition. Although this exhibition is
about photography, it makes us rethink the nature of photography media which is considered
fact recording instead of photography as a genre. Moreover, it examines how the mechanical
device of photography is tested upon by artists. Therefore, this exhibition shows a variety of
installations and video clips, even though it is a photography exhibition. Especially, it is unusual
that this exhibition embraces different generations from HWANG Kyutae and KOO Bohnchang
to KIM Jinhee and KIM Taedong. Furthermore, it contains the photographers including KDK,
KWON Sunkwan, NOH Suntag and Area Park who majored in photography as well as those
who did not major in photography but who use photography media as their major genre
including JUNG Yeondoo, GWON Osang and WON Seoungwon. This helps the exhibition to
become not monotonous and to develop in diversity.
The exhibition starts with the excerpt from ‘Melancholy Objects’ in On Photography by Susan
Sontag, “Photography has the unappealing reputation of being the most realistic, therefore
facile, of the mimetic art.” It is not that Susan Sontag suggested this proposition in order to
denigrate photography, but, her mention, nevertheless, represents the most general and ordinary
misunderstanding on photography.”
The work facing with the text by Sontag is the sequence photography, Soap by KOO
Bohnchang showing a piece of ordinary half used soap which looks like a beautiful objet.
From this work, you will feel the awareness of difference or separation between something that
you believe it is true and what you are looking at. Your appreciation will play a variation with
other works. First of all, the exhibition consists of the following contents; documentaries that
make you strongly believe that photography is the record of a fact (NOH Suntag, Area Park
and HA Taebum); photography, text and narrative (BACK Seungwoo and JANG Boyun); the
photography on everyday life through artists’ lens by CHUNG Heeseung, MOON Hyungmin
and KDK; photography, collages and digital deformation (WON Seoungwon, GWON Osang
and HWANG Kyutae); and memories (KWON Sunkwan and JUNG Yeondoo). At the end, the
exhibition will embrace Exploration of Hwaseong by YOON Byoungjoo as an epilogue. This
work began with a flash of inspiration that identical is the Korean pronunciation of Hwaseong in
Gyeonggi province and Mars in the universe. YOON shoot a field of construction in Hwaseong
as it looks like somewhere in Mars.
When you appreciate Exploration of Hwaseong by YOON Byoungjoo through a crevice between
the exhibition spots with the rock in the Total Museum at the end, this exhibition will provide
you with time and space to reexamine the nature of photography as media or as technology.
Participant
Artists
HWANG Kyutae
He was born in Chungnam Yesan, Korea. He graduated from Dong-Gook University majoring
in Politics in 1963. From 1963 to 1965, he worked for Kyung-Hyang Newspaper as a
photojournalist. Working as a photojournalist, he began his artistic career in black-and-white
documentary photography. After moving to the United Stated in 1965 he set up his own
distinctive art-world transcending the limits of photography. Involving computer, scanner and
Photoshop, he enjoys the possibilities of enlarging or manipulating images and continues his
experiments with images.
uranology
280x250cm,
Latex Print,
2005
KOO Bohnchang
Koo Bohnchang attended Yonsei University majoring in Business Administration and later
studied photography in Hamburg, Germany. He was a professor at Kaywon School of Art and
Design, Chung Ang University, Seoul Institute of the Arts and a visiting professor in London
Saint Martin School.
His works have been exhibited in over 30 solo exhibitions including Samsung Rodin Gallery,
Seoul (2001), Peabody Essex Museum, Massachusetts (2002), Camera Obscura, Paris (2004),
Kukje Gallery, Seoul and Kahitsukan Kyoto Museum of Contemporary Art (2006), Goeun
Museum of Photography, Busan (2007), Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia (2010) and
many.
His collections are at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Fine art, Houston,
Kahitsukan Kyoto Museum of Contemporary Art, National Museum of Contemporary Art,
Korea, Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, Seoul and publications are ‘Deep Breath in Silence’,
‘Revealed Personas’, ‘Vessels for the Heart’, ‘How to Capture the Touching Moment’ in Korea
From left
Soap 03
80x66cm, Archival Pigment Print
Editon of 10, 2004
Soap 09
80x66cm, Archival Pigment Print
Editon of 10, 2007
Soap 30
80x66cm, Archival Pigment Print
Editon of 10, 2006
Soap 24
80x66cm, Archival Pigment Print
Editon of 10, 2006
Soap 35
80x66cm, Archival Pigment Print
Editon of 10, 2007
and ‘Hysteric Nine’, ‘Vessel’, ‘Everyday Treasures’ in Japan.
KWON Sunkwan
KWON Sunkwan studied BFA in Photography at Sangmyung University and MFA in Fine Art at
Korea National University of Arts in Seoul. He was awarded as “Artist of Tomorrow” by Sungkok
Art Museum in 2007, Unfinished Dialectical Theater at Kyunghee University Museum of Art,
Seoul in 2013. Kwon describe that thing or subject cannot stand alone by itself and has active
meaning only in the inertia of powers meeting in different layers and the composition as a
whole image.
The valley of darkness_Digital
225x180cm, C-print,
2014
The Description without Place
GWON Osang
GWON Osang was born in 1974 in Seoul, Korea and he majored sculpture in Hongik university
and graduate school. In general, Gwon Osang oeuvre consists largely of Deodorant Type,
The Flat and The Scluptureseries. Started in beginning of 1998, Deodorant Type is the oldest,
most acclaimed of Gwon’s art practice. In the so-called ‘photo-sculpture’, the artist takes
photographs of a subject in many angles, prints them out, then cuts and pastes them onto the
carved sculptures.
Metabo
130x80x105cm,
C-print, Mixed Media,
2009
With Lean(detail)
254(H)x85x65cm,
C-print, Mixed Media,
2009
KDK
KDK majored photograhpy in Seoul Institute of the Art and completed Meisterschueler and
Academiebrief in Kunstakademie Duesseldorf in Germany. He had solo and group exhibitions
of various series including solo exhibition <P>, <Space Faction>. Artist KDK has consistently
created constructive work revealing structure through an object’s outward appearance. He has
once again broadened the spectrum of his work by going beyond the space between reality
and unreality through a building’s interior and an edge.
w.ttm-07
90x120cm, C-print,
Mounted on Plexiglas Iron Framed,
2015
w.ttm-08
90x70cm, C-print
Mounted on Plexiglas Iron Framed,
2015
KIM Jinhee
Graduated from Chung-Ang University’s School of Photography in Korea. She held solo
exhibition <whisper(ing)> (Trunk Gallery, Seoul, Korea, 2012), <A Nameless Woman, She>
(Songeun Artcube, Seoul, Korea, 2014) and also she has participated in a group exhibitions
including Young Portfolio Acquisitions 2013 (Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts, Kiyosato,
Japan, 2014), The twelfth Grand Prize: Sajin Bipyong Winners Works exhibition (Gallery Illum,
Seoul, Korea, 2011). Her work is collected in the Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts.
JinHee Kim has been focusing on the concealed emotions and buried memories of women
and creating work through various way based on her sustained interests about relationships
between memories.
말을 했지만
122x96cm,
Embroidery on Digital Pigment Print,
2014
KIM Taedong
Kim Taedong received his BFA and MFA in Photography at Chungang University. He was
selected one of the three finalists for SKOPF AWARD hosted by KT&G’s Sangsang Madang
in 2011, and held his solo exhibition in 2012 as an artist selected and funded by the Gallery
Lux’s Emerging Artist Support Program. KIM received an award at the 4th Ilwoo Photo Award
sponsored by Ilwoo Foundation in 2012, and held his solo exhibition Day-Break-Days at
Ilwoo Space in 2013. He has participated in a wide range of group exhibitions including <Site
& place> at Doosan Gallery New York in 2014, Young Korean Artists at National Museum of
Modern and Contemporary Art in 2013, Korea and International Discoveries hosted by Houston
Fotofest in 2013, as well as New Force Of Photography at Goeun Museum of Photography in
2012.
Day Break-029
150x190cm,
Digital Pigment Print,
2011
Day Break-053
150x194cm,
Digital Pigment Print,
2013
NOH Suntag
NOH Suntag explores the way in which gone by Korean War alive and well in today’s Korean
society. He looks intently the gap in the ‘power of division’ that oftentimes interprets things to
its own advantage as it includes war and division in the fixed chapter of history. The power of
division is a monster of present operating and malfunctioning in both South and North Korea.
Taking all those oozing from that monster - spit and thick blood, madness and silence, benefit
and damage, burst of laughter and cynical smile, and stop and flow - in the form of image and
words, he lets them slide by. With such disruption holding up that monster dreaming permanent
state of exception, he tries to reveal politics of today.
In search of lost thermos bottles
#CBB2301
140x100cm (3each),
Archival Pigment Print,
2011
MOON Hyungmin
MOON Hyungmin was born in Seoul. He earn his BA in Fine Arts from Pasadena Art Center
College of Design and MA in Fine Arts from California State University. He is interested in
collecting, gathering, transforming and composing images to create something. He simplifies
the order of symbols such as buildings, people, advertisements, the sky, automobiles, display
racks, and incidents which exist everywhere in his own way and recomposes images. In 2014,
he presented his solo exhibition Era of Foraging at AANDO Fine Art in Berlin and By Number
Series at Space Cottonseed in Singapore.
unknown city #19
2008
Area Park
Graduated from B.A Kyung-il University, DeaGu in 1997 and M.F.A, Chung-Ang University of
a Graduate, Seoul in 2003. He held solo exhibition <Bangrangki> (GoeunMuseum of
Photography, Busan, korea, 2013), <Way of photography> (Hermes Atelier, Seoul, korea,
2012), <ひだまり> (Toyota Art Space, Busan, korea, 2011), <ひだまり> (Gallery S, Seoul,
korea, 2008 ), <The Game> (KumhoMuseum of Art, Seoul, korea, 2006 ), <Boys in the City>
(KumhoMuseum of Art, Seoul, korea, 2005 ), <Seoul..asociety of gap > (ChohungGallery, Seoul,
korea, 2004). He work is collected in the GoeunMuseum of Photography, GoeunMuseum of
Photography, UBS Collection, Seoul museum of art, KAMI, HERMES KOREA, National Museum
of contemporary Art, Korea, Seoul Olympic Museum of Art, Ie-young Contemporary Art
Museum, Don-gang Photo Museum.
란도셀
230x185cm,
C-print
야구글러브
230x185cm,
C-print
카메라들
230x185cm,
C-print
BACK Seungwoo
BACK Seungwoo majored photography at Chungang university and dropped out same
graduate school, graduated M.A. in Fine Art and Theory, Middlesex university in London. He
was awarded the 3rd Photography criticism Grand Prize(Time Space Korea) and others, had
various solo and group exhibition including solo exhibition <Deferred Judgement>. Back’s works
including <Memento> showchanges in signification in photography. From his works, we can not
only realize the broad spectrum of photography, but also enjoy cognitive distortion and image
itself. Consistently broadening photography’s undertone while being faith to its nature and not
losing wits and completeness, those are the ways Back SeungWoo makes his own way in
contemporary art.
KBDB’s choice
30x218cm,
Digital Pigment Print,
2015
LDB’s choice
30x235cm,
Digital Pigment Print,
2015
WON Seoungwon
WON Seoungwon was born in Goyang, lives and works in Seoul. She earned her B.F.A in
Sculpture from Chungang University and M.F.A from Kunstakademie Duesseldorf Akademiebrief
and Meisterschuelerin by Prof. Klaus Rinke and Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln in Media Art
Diploma by Prof. Valie Export. She presented several solo exhibitions, 2013 Character Episode I
in Artside Gallery, 2010 My Age of Seven, 1978 in Gana Contemporary, and 2008 Tomorrow in
alternative space LOOP. Currently, her works are in collection at Seoul Museum of Modern Art,
Fidelity Worldwide Investment, Kunsthaus Lempertz Cologne, Santa Barbara Museum of Art and
GoEun Art Foundation.
Dreamroom-Beikyoung
160x100cm,
Lambdaprint,
2004
Dreamroom-Seoungwon
160x100cm,
Lambdaprint,
2003
YOON Byoungjoo
Yoon Byoungjoo majored photography in Seoul Institute of Arts and he has explored the
record characteristics of the various pictures of the city ‘Hwaseong’ since the university on the
subject. Including Museum scandal exhibition of 2011 in Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art
and FF2(2012) in Michael Schultz Gallery Seoul, he has been involved many group exhibition.
Solo exhibition is Exploration of Hwaseong(2014, Space Willing & Dealing) and Mark on
Hwaseong(2014, SongEun Art Cube). In 2013, he was awarded the Mirae Award and in 2014,
the 36th JoongAng Fine Arts Prize Selected Artists. He shows such as active as a young
experimental vidual.
Exploration of Hwaseong
200x600cm,
Inkjet Print,
2013
JANG Boyun
JANG Boyun was born in 1981 in Seoul, she has major degree of fine art and minor degree
of graphic design in Seoul Women’s Univ and majored fine art in National University graduate
school. She has held solo exhibitions including Acquainted with the Night in DOOSAN Gallery
New York(2014), Your First Year in Gallery Hyundai(2013), Acquainted with the Night in
Gallery FACTORY(2011), Preface of Memories: K’s Slides in Brain Factory(2009) and has
been involved many group exhibitions. Jang Boyun works to reproduce memories and history
using photographic images. She is looking for photograph’s signs which is associated with
the subject of the picture by ‘seeing’, also she substitutes herself for disappeared moment in
the past and travel the same place. She reclaims, writes the subjects and then makes them
imagery.
Thousands Years 12
110x76cm,
Archival Digital C-print,
2012
A Thousands Years 35
80x53cm,
Archival Digital C-print,
2012
JUNG Yeondoo
JUNG Yeondoo was born in Kyungnam Jinju. He earned his B.F.A in Fine Arts, Sculpture, from
Seoul National University and Diploma in Sculpture from London Institute, Central Saint Martin
College. Then he earned his M.F.A from University of London, Goldsmiths College. Since his
graduation, he has been working on people’s passion about a dream in his works that coexist
ambiguously in both of reality and unreality. He has proved his originality in his works through
plenty of exhibitions. He has been invited to many of art shows such as the Biennale in Venice,
Liverpool, Istanbul, Shanghai, Gwangju, Busan, Taipei and Fukuoka Triennale.
Drive in Theater
Installation(6),
2013
Drive in Theater
Installation(7),
2013
CHUNG Heeseung
Chung Heeseung was born in Seoul, currently lives and works in Seoul. She earned BA in
Painting from Hong-ik University and in Photography from London College of Communication.
And she earned MA in Photography from London College of Communication. She presented
several solo exhibitions; 2014 Heeseung Chung in PKM Gallery, 2014 Inadequate Metaphors
in HADA Contemporary Gallery, 2013 Inadequate Metaphors in Art Sonje Center and 2012 Still
Life in Doosan Gallery New York. She takes a picture of nondeterministic and latent situations or
state of things.
Unfinished Sentence 1
(A set of ten framed photographs),
100x61cm (each-1)
Archival Pigment Print,
Wooden Frame,
2014
Unfinished Sentence 1
(A set of ten framed photographs),
100x61cm (each-3)
Archival Pigment Print,
Wooden Frame,
2014
HA Taebum
He earned his B.F.A/M.F.A. in Chung-Ang University, Sculpture, Korea and then he earned his
M.F.A. from Stuttgart StateAcademy of Art & Design, Sculpture, Germany. He presented several
solo exhibitions, <White-Line of Sight> (SOMA Drawing Center, Seoul, korea, 2014), <Dialogue
Method-Collaboration Project> (Seoul Art Space Hongeun Gallery H, Seoul, Korea, 2013),
<WINDOW> (Space 15th, Seoul, Korea, 2013), <Media Performance Project 1.2.3 Performix 2>
(Art Space Gallery Jungmiso, Seoul, Korea, 2013), <White-2012> (Art Space Gallery Jungmiso,
Seoul, Korea,2012), <The Veil> (Place MAK, Seoul, Korea, 2011), and many. His works
are in collection at National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art-Art Bank(Korea),
Yangpyeong Art Museum(Korea), Seoul Museum of Art(Korea), National Museum of Modern
and Contemporary Art(Korea), Arario Gallery, Cheonan(Korea), LB-BW Bank(Germany), Young
artist contest presented by Ministry of Environment department, Bonn(Germany).
Terrorist attack International
University Islamabad
120x180cm,
Pakistan, Diasec,
2010
HAN Kyungeun
I believe that the answer of possibility and meaning of human beings can be identified by
human body. In my practice, I take notice of the meaning of body which makes intimacy and
interpersonal relationship possible or induces inner experience toward spiritual mature. I have
been dealing with human body as a place where conscious and unconscious is embodied,
and also take photography, which is spiritual and passive, as the main media for my works.
Restoration and balance
163x120cm
pigmentprint on the fineart paper
Installation
View
©Total Museum of Contemporary Art
Photographed by Lee Sangjae