Between dreams and reality

Science-fiction and fantasy novels create unknown fantasy worlds for readers to visit and offer a brief escape from reality. While imagined scenes may linger in the memories of the readers, some imagined scenes are brought to reality by photographers who create surrealist scenes that are difficult to know whether they are real or an illusion.

Three contemporary photo exhibitions in Seoul this month showcase photographs that blur the line between dream and reality.

The “Utopia” exhibition at Opera Gallery Korea in Nonhyeon-dong proves the instant impact photographs can have on viewers with surrealist images based on cityscapes, bodies, landscapes and imaginations.

The exhibition features 70 photographs by artists from Korea, the Netherlands, Germany, France and others.

Joseph Klibanski’s photographs, which perfectly live up to the exhibition title, are based on futuristic city image, overlapped with the Garden of Eden. In order to express his surrealist intent, Klibanski combined different media such as computer graphics technology and painting to create a modern utopia.

Korean artist Lim Taek creates Asian “utopia” by mixing elements of Oriental painting and photography. Using three-dimensional models to express mountains and tree ornaments, Lim creates the familiar landscapes found in Oriental paintings, but adds a modern touch with objects such as cotton and salt, tree models and a butterfly and a sun in fluorescent colors.

At Lotte Gallery across the river in Sogong-dong, viewers are led to the yet undiscovered world of Russian contemporary photography.

The exhibition is a survey of fine art photography of Russia, presenting works of 10 artists. This marks the first time for Russian photographs to be shown to the Korean audience.

“Fine art photography has a long history in Russia. Artists like Alexander Rodchenko in the 1920s broke the border between art and reality and created new forms of art and tradition of fine art,” wrote Irina Chmyreva in the exhibition catalogue.

The exhibition shows different expressions in surrealist photographs that feature a mix of metaphoric expressions and imagination.

Some are uncanny images, like Kir Esadov’s photographs featuring an elephant in a forest and a bizarre display of a woman and a duck. Kmeli-Suneli Art Group captures a surrealist image in a field where people used to dump animal corpses, leaving a strong impression.

Animals are popular features in photographs by Igor Kultyshkin. Interested in the difference between the images seen with the naked eye and the camera lens, Kultyshkin explores the process of how we perceive objects and his fascination with fantasy and magic.

Young artist Alisa Nikulina creates poetic expressions in nature photographs with an emphasis on the natural flow rather than the manipulation of images.

 

KIPS Gallery Seoul Photography in Sinsa-dong presents a rare collection of surrealist American photographer Ralph Gibson’s original prints. Gibson became well known for his abstract and surrealist photographs that often feature nude models, contrasting light and dark.

The Seoul gallery showcases his black-and-white photographs that include his earlier works from 1961 to later works in 1999, in partnership with KPS Gallery New York.

The Opera Gallery exhibition “Utopia” runs through June 16, the contemporary Russian photography exhibition at Lotte Gallery through June 10 and the Ralph Gibson exhibition at KIPS Gallery Seoul Photography through June 20.

For more information, call Opera Gallery at (02) 3446-0070, Lotte Gallery at (02) 726-4456, and at KIPS Gallery Seoul Photography at (02) 542-7710.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)