Han Chung Shik

Han Chung Shik presents the GOYO series in which he explores the essence of existence and the question of being through photographic expression of the tension between presence and absence, and form and negative space. Rooted in the Buddhist concept of emptiness and an Asian philosophical notion of effortless action, his works reflect his lifelong philosophical inquiry into the nature of existence and the world, which is expressed through abstract forms that reveal the artist’s inner consciousness. Han once stated, “What photography pursues toward artistic excellence is the realm of abstraction. This is because the very theme that photography carries is a world of abstract ideas. Therefore, for photography to truly be photography, it must erase the object’s existence within the photo and present the photo itself.” Based on this philosophy, he has worked to establish the foundation of a distinctive Korean photographic art.