Lens of a blue-collar icon

Ulee Lheue village, Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia, 2013. / Courtesy of Park No-hae

Poet Park No-hae holds third photo exhibition

By Yun Suh-young

Park No-hae is best known as the poet who doubled as the country’s most famous political prisoner of the 1990s. He now seems intent on also being remembered as a photographer.

The images Park captures with his camera are peaceful and observant, notably devoid of the social anger and intensity that once made his poems a commentary on Korea’s labor-class struggle.

While the 57-year-old continues to identify himself as a blue-collar artist, it’s clear that the man behind the viewfinder is looking at the bigger picture rather than small details. These days, he talks less like a labor activist and more like a yoga instructor.

About 120 of Park’s recent works are featured in his third exhibition, “Another Way,” which opened at Seoul’s Sejong Center for Performing Arts on Wednesday and will continue through March 3.

In his former exhibitions, Park captured images of people in regions of political conflict such as the Middle East. For Another Way, Park focused on life in rural Asia, taking photos in Laos, Burma, Indonesia, India, Pakistan and Tibet.

Talking to reporters, Park said his intention was to explore an alternative way of living that is distanced from the industrialized, 21st-century life.

“That was what I was suggesting with the title, ‘Another Way.’ It questions the very idea of what a good life constitutes and how we should live. A good life is about finding our true selves and being happy. Instead, we are trained to be constantly wanting for more in a highly-competitive society,” he said.

“I hope the exhibition can provide an opportunity for reflection.”

Park said he saw common elements in the lives of farmers in the countries he traveled, which he summarized in three words — “circulative,” “pure” and “complying.” For him, the self-sufficiency of the farmers was a fresh departure from a life driven by social pressure and financial greed.

“While photographing the farmers, I realized I had long lost my ability to be self-sufficient in our world of convenience and abundance.”

Park, who released his definitive poetry book, “Dawn of Labor,” in 1984, was sentenced to life imprisonment for participating in “anti-state” activities in 1991 after being involved in a number of labor disputes. He was released from prison in 1998, following years of protests from the civic community and international pressure.

As a photographer, Park has made it a principle to use film rather than digital cameras. He says this is a way of pressuring himself to respect the value of the perfect moment. He only uses 35-milimeter lenses, which requires him to be closer to the subject and engage in good communication.

He uses sunlight as effective backlight to make the photos awe-inspiring. He explains more about the photos he took with poems he wrote which are displayed along with photos in the exhibition. He says the rhythms of the poems are reflected in the photos.

Celebrities have offered their voices to promote the exhibition by giving recitals of Park’s poems.

Singer Lee Hyo-ri, actor Hwang Jung-min and comedian Kim Ji-min are few among the dozens of artists who participated in a voice donation project.

The video can be viewed at www.anotherway.kr, facebook.com/anotherway2014 or on YouTube. Profits from the exhibition will be used for the children, farmers, and orphans in Pakistan, Burma, and Indonesia.

Tickets are 5,000 won for adults and 3,000 won for students between 7 and 18.

Talks with the photographer will be available on Feb. 5, 13, 16 and 24 at at 7 p.m. upon prior registration on the Internet homepage. Park plans to be at the exhibition from 5 to 7 p.m. every day.

For more information, call 02)734-1977 or visit www.anotherway.kr.