By Sa Eun-young
Staff Reporter
It is common to see paintings that are so realistically recreated that they seem llike photographs, however, it is not easy to find photographs so delicately printed that they resemble an oriental ink-and-wash painting.
Such breathtaking results are possible because of the meticulous care that is put into the process of creating the final black-and-white print. Veteran artist Min Byung-hun, behind these artistic works, is fully involved in producing his artistic pieces, from the photography to the printing.
His techniques, grounded in the minutest details, enable him to minimize the use of stark black and white contrasts and employ a wide variation of subtle and soft gray monotones that create an almost subdued feeling in his works. Under the theme _ snow land, sky, fog and gloom _ Min focuses mainly on ordinary scenes, with the serene landscapes of Korea frequently appearing in his photographs.
Min's work can be seen on display at Gallery Kong in Seoul, and runs through Oct. 28.
This exhibition showcases around 10 unreleased pieces from the ``Snow Land'' series, which gained tremendous popularity on its first release in the United States in 2005. The artist truly becomes one with his works of the snow-covered landscapes. Amid the whirlwind of white, which shows distant faint images, there is not a single unnecessary speck, as Min ``create(s) images of transcendence,'' according to Karen Sinsheimer, Curator of Photography at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.
Also displayed are the artist's most well-known pieces from three of his previously released series. His ``Sky'' series is known for its beauty and transcendence, while the ``Deep Fog'' series creates a calm yet mysterious atmosphere through its misty and foggy scenes of monotonous gray. Min's ``Gloom'' series portrays landscapes that are depicted by silvery lines amid dark shades of gray.
Min has been in the field of photography for the past 30 years, and still personally selects the materials he uses to create the exact nuance being sought. More astonishing is that the artist manually develops his prints, a feat that seems almost ``anachronistic'' as some of his works exceed one meter _ a size that is almost impossible to develop on gelatin silver prints.
``In the realm of contemporary photography, where larger, louder, and more colorful prints now capture the spotlight, Min's spare, minimalist aesthetic is at the very least out of sync,'' said Sinsheimer
Min's works are kept in art museums in the U.S. that are known for their photography collections, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, San Francisco MOMA and the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas. He is to participate in the Asian Contemporary Art Fair in New York next month, and will hold a solo exhibition in London, England, next year.