Light Shadow by Koo Bohnchang

The first solo exhibition in Australia by South Korea's leading photographer, Koo Bohnchang, features 39 artworks that capture the moment of encounter between white porcelains of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), a camera, and an artist. In order to produce the exhibition, Light Shadows, Koo Bohnchang embarked on a journey in search of Korean white porcelains scattered all over the world in different museums. 

© Koo Bohnchang
© Koo Bohnchang

Koo, fascinated by the subtlety of baekja (white porcelain), began to capture the white porcelain on camera in 2004 by travelling around major museums around the world. The artist, who is well known for expressing the white porcelain's most white porcelaneous colour and energy in photographs, describes his works as, "Rich, as if the white porcelain’s warmth and energy were permeated, and contains a soul like a person would in a portrait".

His journey to reinterpret the mysterious purity of dal hang-ari (moon jar) and the various forms of baekja scattered around the world have taken him to many reputed institutions which include the Musée Guimet in Paris, the Koryo Museum of Art in Kyoto, the British Museum in London, and the National Museum of Korea.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Koo Bohnchang captures still and fragile moments, attempting to reveal the unseen breath of life. Since completing his studies in Germany in 1985, Koo has established an international reputation as a photographic artist. His works have been featured in over 30 solo exhibitions including Samsung Rodin Gallery, Seoul (2001), Peabody Essex Museum, Massachussetts (2002), Camera Obscura, Paris (2004), Kukje Gallery, Seoul, Kahitsukan Kyoto Museum of Contemporary Art, Japan (2006), GoEun Museum of Photography, Busan (2007), and Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia (2010). 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.

Upcoming Events Submit an Event

November

Sydney: The exhibition delves into the State Library of NSW's vast collection of two million images, showcasing 400 photos – many displayed for the first time.

February

Ballarat: Scotty So is a Melbourne-based artist who works across media, using painting, photography, sculptures, site-responsive installation, videos and drag performance.

Melbourne: Jill Orr’s The Promised Land Refigured is an exhibition that reworks the original project created in 2012 with new insights that have emerged in the past eleven years.

Sydney: Curated by Lynn Smith, Urban Enigmas aims to unlock the subtle mysteries that lurk in out-of-the-way places in big cities: back lanes, river banks, street markets, abandoned factories, old bridges and so on.

March

Ballarat: Nan Goldin is an American artist whose work explores subcultures, moments of intimacy, the impacts of the HIV/AIDS and opioid epidemics on her communities, and photography as a tool for social activism.

Sydney: The Ocean Photographer of the Year Award, run by London based Oceanographic Magazine is in its 4th year and has quickly achieved recognition amongst photographers around the world.

Albury: The National Photography Prize offers a $30,000 acquisitive prize, the $5000 John and Margaret Baker Fellowship for an emerging practitioner, and further supports a number of artists through focused acquisitions.