photographers-exhibition

▲ This image, provided by Kukje Gallery, shows Koo Seong-youn's work "sugar_07." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ This image, provided by Kukje Gallery, shows Kim Soo-kang's work "Chemical Bottle 3." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

photographers-exhibition

Exhibition celebrates human-crafted still life photography in the age of AI

By Lee Minji

SEOUL, June 9 (Yonhap) -- Still life may not be the most striking genre in photography in an era where platforms easily churn out all kinds of images in seconds with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).

"Objects in Oscillation," a group exhibition featuring nine contemporary Korean photographers on view at Kukje Gallery in Seoul, highlights the enduring power of human touch that transcends the depth of AI-generated images.

The exhibition, curated by renowned artist Koo Bohn-chang, features his own works as well as still photo works by Chung Hee-seung, Jo Seong-yeon, Kim Soo-kang, Kim Kyoung-tae, Park Chanoo, Koo Seong-youn, Jung Jung-ho and Zo Sun-hi.

"(I) tried to select the works of artists who pursued their works without compromise ... who do not chase superficial beauty but who make efforts to move closer to the essence of things," Koo told reporters in a press conference.

"While AI now allows images to be easily generated, artists in this exhibition bring their own distinct approach and process," he said.

While all the works on view are still life photography, the objects they convey vary from the most mundane household objects to objects that have been reconstructed to reflect family history or explore human values.

Jung Jung-ho's works, for instance, goes back to the life of his grandfather, who was a wartime laborer. By photographing different objects, such as shell casings, rope and military photographs of his father, he tried to trace not only his grandfather's life but to reconnect with forgotten lives.

Koo Seong-youn's sugar series, meanwhile, explores the gap between the real and the staged, as she recreates treasures and ornaments as sugar sculptures. She captures these recreated objects when they are melting, displaying the transience of human desire.

On the other hand, works by Kim Soo-kang, encourage viewers to delve into the essence of ordinary objects. Kim, who has solely focused on still life photography throughout her career, turns to mundane objects, such as paper bags, medicine bottles and salt shakers, for her works.

By incorporating the tedious and intricate technique of "gum printing," such household objects are born with a distinctive texture that allows viewers to take in the objects in a different light.

"Still life offers a unique sense of comfort that allows me to look longer and more deeply," Kim said.

"That sustained observation helps me approach the essence of an object. When that experience is translated into a photograph, I feel it can carry a much greater concentration of energy, attention and meaning than might otherwise be possible," she added.

While still life works may be far from glamorous and like any other human-made work, carry flaws, participating artists said this imperfection is what sets them apart from AI-generated images.

"To me, AI-generated images often feel predictable and somewhat boring ... It is often within those imperfections in (human-made works) that something artisanal and deeply human emerges," Jung said.

The exhibition runs through July 19.

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