Youngho Kwon

2GIL29 GALLERY will present the photographer Youngho Kwon (b.1968)’s photo exhibition from Sep. 21 to Oct. 24, 2019, which will be his sixth solo show. Since he received the award of the Fashion Journalist Prize that is the most prestigious award in the Korean fashion world as the youngest awardee ever, he has made an outstanding career in a variety of visual media. He built his career in not only top-rated fashion magazines such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Cosmopolitan and etc., also fashion brands including Nike, FILA, Calvin Klein, Levi's, and etc., and cosmetic brands such as L' Oreal, Biotherm, Dior, and etc. as well. Moreover, he had involved in making a movie poster and left a wide range of interesting movie poster such as ‘ My Sassy Girl’, ‘Who are You’, ‘No manners’, ‘Wild Card’, ‘Fighter In The Wind’, and etc. So to speak, he has long maintained the top position as one of the best commercial art photographers for several decades. 

In addition, he not only stands out in the commercial art, but also has been active in the artistic photograph. He joined in 20th edition of Seoul International Photo & Imaging Show sponsored by Olympus Korea in 2011 with other three artists under the name of <4人4色 작가전>, and in 2016, he took part in ‘Design, Gaze, Beauty, IT’S ALL ABOUT MOVEMENT’ hosted by BMW presenting an unique landscape BMW vehicles made in his own perspective and philosophy. Furthermore, he consistently participates in a social contribution event showing exceptional move regarding helping people in need. In 2008, he joined the fund-raising event with the model Song Kyunga for visually handicapped children organized by the fashion brand, KUHO, and in the following year, he hosted the photo exhibition with WON BIN, who was a special representative of UNICEF to support UNICEF Africa’s relief effort in Africa. And in 2015, he came in on Reebok’s “100days’ Challenge” promotion as one of celebrities donating overall 100 million won under the name of Build Our Kid’s Success. Besides, he published a photo book, Kwon Youngho’s Camera, in a form of photo-logue he wove daily scenes captured in China while he was there for a collaborative work with National Geographic with his candid essays. And it was largely loved by supporters of his world of art. More specifically, those impressive essays emanating from his unique artistic sense and brilliant photos captured from mundane moments like a hidden gem draw empathy from viewers leaving a lasting impression. 

In this photo exhibition at 2GIL29 GALLERY, he displays his characteristic the most unaffectedly laying out where he had stayed. As seen in the title, we are going to encounter his unpretentious photo works shoot somewhere in between a place and an another place, somewhere in between an object and the other one, and somewhere in between a distance from a person and the one from another person. He said ‘No matter how long, soon after I stay in somewhere, relation between me and there begins, and that is when that turns into my inner frame.’ Through his special way of building a relationship, landscapes we pass by casually become brilliant moments going further beyond banality. The photographer Kwon Youngho’s photo work proves powerful moment of a good photo has, and it shows cordiality and sincerity in his mind allowing people to keep their ears open to the fast-paced world restlessly goes by. Photos of him, who is in the hope of being remembered as a happy photographer, still remain marvelous presenting beautifulness full of delightful unfamiliarity. Not long ago, he gave us news that he has become a resident of Jeju-do adding that he rather takes his time enjoying the slow flow of time than spends time finding special place, and it is when a mundane life turns into an unordinary and romantic moment. A magnificent nature of Jeju-do and brilliant moments of his daily lives are contained in his recent work up to 20 of them. 

The artist Kwon Youngho is not only versatile even building a career as an essayist with a writing talent but also the warm-hearted one that is humble and has joined the social contribution being aware of noblesse oblige even while having been in the top ranks of photographers since his debut. Common speculation that his photo work might be fancy and trendy is easily wide of the mark. His camera maintains its focus on inner side of subject shying away from focusing on its appearance. He still has actively been working as a photographer teaching in Ewha University, College of Art and Design and working on photo work on week days, and spending his time in Jeju-do while producing his works with nature in there on weekends. 

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Bio.
After graduating from Chung-Ang University with a diploma in photography, Kwon Youngho(b.1968) garnered at his young age of 29 the Fashion Journalist Prize, the most prestigious award in the Korean fashion world, and he, dubbed as ‘One of Korea’s top photographers', has been actively creating photo works in wide range of visual mediums for last 20 years including film posters, pictures for top-notch fashion magazines, commercial film, and a photo book with top entertainers in Korea such as Won bin, Lee Hyo Li, and Kwon Sang Woo. Even after the long career, he has still produced unsurpassable photographic works mentioning that “Photography is not to take pictures of subjects but to hold inner movements through such subjects.” And his works clearly demonstrate the force awkward, unfamiliar scenes may retain against banality through capturing a little gem of mundane daily lives with his sincerity. Recently, he teaches in Ewha University, College of Art and Design.