Accidentally Captured, Becoming a Nationwide Tourist Attraction... 'Korean Ink Wash Painting-Like Black and White Photo' [Gallery Walk]

Michael Kenna Solo Exhibition at Gongkeunhye Gallery Until Next Month 3
New Works Set in Korea and Early Works Set in the UK Revealed

"To us surrounded daily by countless colors, black-and-white photographs are easy to bring change, express more, and come across as mysterious. Color photos are concrete and descriptive, but I prefer suggestion over description. The subtlety of black-and-white photography not only inspires viewers but also allows them to complete the image in their minds."

The artist's representative work and the most well-known to Korean audiences, 'Solseom'. Pine Trees, Study 3, Wolcheon, Gangwondo, South Korea, 2011) [Photo provided by Gong Geunhye Gallery]

Michael Kenna, a British photographer who captured the charms of Korea unknown to many in black-and-white photos and introduced them to the world, defined the appeal of black-and-white photography this way. As a master of landscape photography loved by photo enthusiasts worldwide, he is also a philosopher who has explored how people and their surroundings influence each other through various landscapes. His solo exhibition "New KOREA & ENGLAND" will be held for a month starting from the 5th at Gong Gun Hye Gallery in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Turning 70 last November, the artist will showcase his latest works taken last year in Korea alongside early works from the 1970s and 1980s created in his hometown England at this exhibition.

The 'Solsom' that Korean viewers remember as his representative work was actually taken by chance, the artist recalls. He said that he always spends enough time on each work to capture the best possible image, and at the time of shooting 'Solsom,' the situation darkened by gathering clouds before a heavy rainstorm actually created the best shooting environment.

Galumlee Beach Tree, Taean, Chungcheongnamdo, South Korea. 2023?Michael Kenna. [Photo by Gong Geunhye Gallery]

With that single photo, the pine forest 'Sokseom' in Samcheok, Gangwon-do, which was threatened by the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) production base, was renamed 'Solsom' borrowing the title of Kenna's work and designated as a tourist attraction in Gangwon-do. Solsom, unfamiliar even to Koreans, became a nationwide landmark through the landscape captured by his old camera. This incident is often cited as a case proving the value of artistic assets more important than human development will.

The artist always captures landscapes without people using a black-and-white camera. His effort to capture the "atmosphere left behind" after people have left stems from his upbringing. Growing up in a Catholic family of Irish descent in Widnes, northern England, he lived with five siblings in poverty and entered seminary to become a priest. In a recent interview with The Guardian UK, he confessed that during his seven years of study, meditation cultivated his respect for "the invisible," saying, "(I) believe there is a powerful presence around us that is invisible. I try to see beyond and beneath the surface whenever I take a photo."

Michael Kenna, Biei Hokkaido Japan 2009 ⓒMark Silva [Photo by Gong Geunhye Gallery]

Despite the trend where everyone pursues technology and speed for clearer colors, he has steadfastly insisted on black-and-white photography. Preferring black-and-white work because it is quieter, softer, and more memorable, he said he wants people to feel relaxed through his works. In a modern society where everything is flashy, fast, noisy, and complicated, the artist's works offer leisure and solitude. Through his works, he conveys a wish to make people feel calm as if meditating rather than threatened.

Using a shooting technique that captures landscapes with long exposures of nearly 10 hours during dawn or nighttime, his works create an atmosphere reminiscent of East Asian ink wash paintings. Through landscape elements forming horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines, they provide time for visual contemplation. The artist, who visited Korea last year for the first time in five years, captured various scenes of our seas including Ulleungdo and Dokdo. This exhibition reveals his 'New KOREA' works taken last year in Goheung, Jeollanam-do; Sinan; and Taean, Chungcheongnam-do.

Wave, Scarborough, Yorkshire, England. 1981ⓒMichael Kenna. [Photo provided by Gong Geunhye Gallery]

Especially, this solo exhibition features 'Waves,' the artist's representative work loved by photo collectors worldwide and a symbol of his England series. Created in 1981, this masterpiece of crashing high waves on the North Yorkshire coast sold out decades ago and has not been exhibited in Korea until now. It is the cover image of his latest photo book "Photos and Their Stories" and the most widely held work in major art museums worldwide.

On February 3rd next month, the artist will visit Korea in person and hold a session to meet the audience.