Koo Bohnchang
Koo Bohnchang (b.1953, Korean)'s constant investigation into the possibilities of photography has played a pivotal role in establishing the medium as a major genre of contemporary art in Korea. After studying in Germany, Koo returned to Korea in the early 1980s. Rejecting the documentary style then in vogue, Koo focused on composing and exhibiting fine art photography thereby establishing himself as a hugely influential member of the burgeoning contemporary art community. Committed to using photography as a means to communicate with the world, the artist has continued to experiment and push the boundaries of the medium. While his work initially began as a reserved meditation on nature, it has evolved to encompass an expansive and ongoing project of viewing and reinterpreting Korean cultural artifacts through a modern lens. His best-known series Vessels explores the harmony between the white porcelain masterworks of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897), the camera, and the artist. The series in particular has played a seminal role in expanding his practice within the context of an artistic journey woven in coincidence and necessity.
구본창은 사진 매체의 가능성을 끊임없이 모색하며, 국내에서 사진이 현대미술의 주요 장르로 확고하게 자리매김하는데 유의미한 역할을 해왔다. 세상과 소통하기 위한 방법으로 사진을 선택한 후 파격과 실험을 거듭하던 그는 자연을 향한 관조적 응시를 거쳐 한국의 전통문화를 현대적인 감각으로 재해석하는 작업에 이르게 된다. 그 중 2004년부터 진행하며 백자, 카메라, 작가의 완벽한 일체감을 보여준 <백자> 연작은 우연과 필연으로 직조된 구본창의 예술여정 중에서도 그의 작업세계를 확장하고 심화하는데 결정적인 역할을 한 작품이다.
Koo Bohnchang (b.1953)
EWB 01
2019
Archival pigment print
50 x 40 cm
Ed. 6/10
Koo Bohnchang (b.1953)
EWB 05
2019
Archival pigment print
210 x 150 cm
Ed. 1/3