Dae Soo Kim

Dae Soo Kim has turned bamboo, which the Far East considers one of the four plants celebrated by the scholars, into an object (*). As the Chinese character ‘竹’ for bamboo illustrates, the straightness of bamboo symbolizes the uprightness of man. When the photographer’s attention is focused on the characteristic image of bamboo and its leaves, he captures the very substance of the Far Eastern spirit. Through his photographic skills, a part of the quintessential spirit of the Far East has been expressed visually. Dae Soo Kim uses the technical possibilities of photography for the visual representation of the spirit of the Far East. He shows us the image in negative and, in doing so, reverses our view of the world. The inverted pictures refer to the interaction between Yin and Yang, and thus present the metaphysics of the Far East in an abstract, i.e. geometric way. Furthermore, the construction of the image and the gradation from black to white, which intersect the long line of the trunk and the short line of the node, show us the teaching of Yin and Yang and the subtle aesthetic perception of the Far East. In her bamboo pictures, Dae Soo Kim introduces us to the anthropological significance of bamboo and the Far Eastern vision of Nature. In these countries, bamboo is not simply an object for man, but a subject that can have exchanges with man. Kim’s photos of bamboo should not be interpreted and evaluated from the point of view of the West, but from the point of view of the Far East. In his book “Orientalism, the East created by the West”, E. Said wrote that Eastern culture should not be interpreted or evaluated according to Western standards, because the East is for itself an East; it is therefore reasonable, if one wants to appreciate Kim’s bamboo photos at their true value, to take into account that, in the culture of the Far East, bamboo has an ethical dimension.

1955    Born in Seoul, South Korea

Education

 

  • 1975-1979        Hongik University, Bachelor of Plastic Art, Seoul, South Korea
  • 1979-1980        Daewoo Planning and Coordination Office, South Korea
  • 1980-1981        Hongik University, Master of Photo-Design, in Industrial Art, Seoul, South Korea
  • 1981-1983        Parsons School of Design, Bachelor of Photography, New York, US
  • 1983-1987        Pratt Institute, Master, Photography, New York, US
  • 1987-1988        KAIST, South Korea
  • 1988-1993        Assistant Professor, Dept. Photography, Sangmyung University, South Korea
  • 1993    Present Professor Dept. Visual Communication, Hongik University, South Korea
  • 1989-2005        Master of Industrial Art, Ewha Women’s University, South Korea
  • 2001-2002        Exchange Professor, Dept. Photography, Nihon University, Japan
  • 2011-2012        Artist Residency, Cite Internationale des Arts, Paris, FR

Solo Shows

  • 2024    “SOOM”, Galerie PJ, Metz, France
  • 2022    Windscape, Seojin artspace, Seoul, Korea
  • 2022    Centre d’art photographique, Hwasun, korea
  • 2022    Lake of the Bamboo, Ks gallery, Seoul, Korea
  • 2021    Choi Jung-Ah Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
  •             « SOOP », PJ Gallery, Metz, FR
  • 2019    « Sky Land and Manscape », Lucida Gallery, JinJu, South Korea
  • 2018    « DaeSoo Kim Photography », Art Gallery JeonJu, JeonJu, South Korea
  •             « The Garden of Letters », Seoi Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
  • 2017    « Sky Wind Stars and Me », BK Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
  • 2015    « DaeSoo Kim Photography », Francoise Livinec, Paris, FR
  •             « DaeSoo Kim Photography », Achim Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
  •             « New Wave in Korean Photography 1988-1998 », GoEun of Photography, Busan, South Korea
  • 2014    « DaeSoo Kim Photographies », IBU Gallery, Paris, FR
  • 2013    « Trees from the People », Artpark Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
  • 2012    « Listen to the Bamboos », Eulenspiegel Gallery, & Heuberg 24, Basel, Switzerland
  •             « Sensibility of Bamboo », Ewho Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
  •             « People du Bamboo », Philippe Gelot Gallery, Paris, FR
  • 2011    « Voice of the Bamboo », Hanmi Photography Museum, South Korea
  •             « Voice of the Bamboo », Shinsegae Gallery, Incheon, South Korea
  • 2010    « Colors of the Bamboo », IHN Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
  • 2007    « DaeSoo Kim Photo Work », Mac Gallery, Busan, South Korea
  • 2006    « Sky Meditation », White Wall Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
  • 2004    « Sky Wind Stars and Me », Kim Youngsub Photogallery, Seoul, South Korea
  • 2003    « Trees from the People », Keumsan Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
  • 2000    « The Tale of Three Trees », Sajinmadang, Seoul, South Korea
  • 1999    « A Road to the Sky », Kumho Museum, Seoul, South Korea
  • 1998    « The Great Korean », Olive Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
  • 1996    « The Land of Wisdom », Boda Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
  • 1990    « New Wave Photographer from Korea », Sunygate Gallery, Taiwan
  • 1988    « Creation and Then… », Han Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
  • 1987    « Thesis Show », Higgins Hall, New York, US
  • 1984    « Quest of Light », Space Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
  • 1983    « Graduate One Man Show », Parsons Hall, New York, US

Selected Group Shows

  • 2022     In the garden, Galerie PJ, Metz, France
  • 2022    « The Resonance of Trees », The Korean Cultural Center of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
  • 2019    « Yeosu International Art Festival, More Less Much More », Yeosu EXPO Ocean Park, Yeosu, South Korea
  • 2018    « Frames after Frames: Modern Photography Movement of Korea from 1988 to 1999 », Daegu Art Museum, Daegu, South Korea
  • 2017    « Exhibition during PyeongChang Music Festival », Pyeongchang, South Korea
  •             « Exposition1# », Castle of Dampierre sur Boutonne, FR
  • 2016    « Hand », Eulenspiegel Gallery, Basel, Switzerland
  •             « Public to Private-Photography in Korean Contemporary Art since 1989 », National Museum of Modern and Cotemporary Art, Seoul, South Korea
  • 2015    « Current of Korean Journey of Photography », GASC Yunseul Art Museum, Kimhae, National Museum of Modern and Cotemporary Art
  •             « The Condensed Moment », Seoul Art Center, Seoul, South Korea
  •             « Re:Kontemporary-Fermented Souls », Waterfal Gallery, New York, US
  •             « The 21st Century Handmade Print », 270 Gallery, Englewood, US
  •             « Korean Beauty: Two Kind of Nature », National Museum of Modern and Cotemporary Art, Seoul, South Korea
  •             « Hue: Rest », The American Club, Singapour
  • 2013    « The Wind that Wakes the Bamboo », National Museum Gwangju, Gwangju, South Korea
  •             « In Between », HyeHwa Art Center, Seoul, South Korea
  • 2012    « Monochrome in Korea », Dorothea Gallery, Mainz, Germany
  •             « Art Paris », Grand Palais, Paris, FR
  • 2011    « Seoul Photo Festival 2011 », Musée SeMa Gyeonghuigung of Seoul, Seoul, South Korea
  •             « Korean Sprit: Six Photographers », Aramnuri Art Center, Goyang, South Korea
  •             « Remember You », Hyundai Art Center, Ulsan, South Korea
  • 2010    « Go with Father and Son: HanYoung Kim, DaeSoo Kim », Moonstruck Present Gallery, Osaka, Japan
  •             « Chaotic Harmony: Korean Contemporary Photography », Santa Babara Art Museum, Santa Babara, US
  •             «Hong Kong International Art Fair », Hong Kong Convention Center, Hong Kong
  • 2009    « Art Asia: International Asian Contemporary Art », Miami, US
  •             « Paris Photo », Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, FR
  •             « China International Gallery Exposition », Pékin, China
  •             « Contemporary Korean Photography 1948-2008 », Gyeongnam Art Museum, Changwon, South Korea
  • 2008    « Exhibition during G8 Hokkaido Summit Meeting », Mori Art Museum, Hokkaido, Japan
  •             « Good Morning Mr. Nam June Paik », Korean Cultural Centre U.K., London, UK
  • 2007    « Contemporary Art Today and Tomorrow », Sejong Culture Center, Seoul
  • 2006    « Seoul International Print-Photo Art Fair, Seoul Art Center, Seoul, South Korea
  •             « Camera Work », Seoul Art Museum, Seoul, South Korea
  • 2005    « The People in the Time 1945-2005 », Seoul, South Korea
  • 2004    « Looking Inside », Baeksang Memorial Hall, Seoul, South Korea
  • 2003    « Object and Imaginations », Lux Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
  • 2001    « 19 Photographers with Calm Land 4 », Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan
  • 2000    « Landscape and Place », Gyeonggi Art Center, Suwon, South Korea
  •             « 12 Photographers with Calm Land 3 », Space Pool, Seoul, South Korea
  • 1999    « Seoul Lumia of Century in Media 1999 », Seoul Art Museum, Seoul, South Korea
  •             « Beyond the Threshold », Hillwood Art Museum, New York, US
  • 1998    « History of Korean Photography », Seoul Art Center, Seoul, South Korea
  • 1997    « Exhibition of Youth Spirit, ‘97 Gwangju Biennale Special Exhibition », Gwangju, South Korea
  •             « Essence of Photography Expansion of Photography », Walker Hill, Seoul, South Korea
  • 1996    « Photography-New Vision », National Museum of Modern and Cotemporary Art, Gwacheon, South Korea
  • 1995    « The Horizon of Korean Photography », Hyundai Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
  • 1994    « The Horizon of Korean Contemporary Photography », Gongpyong Art Center, Seoul, South Korea
  •             « 50 years of Korean Photography, 1945-1994 », Seoul Art Center, Seoul, South Korea
  • 1993    « Photography and Image », Sonje Art Museum, Gyeongju, South Korea
  • 1992    « The Horizon of Korean Contemporary Photography », Seoul Art Museum, Seoul, South Korea
  • 1991    « The Horizon of Contemporary Korean Photography », Total Open Air, Jangheung, South Korea
  •             « The 1st Korea-Japan Poster Exchange Exhibition, Paper », Seoul, South Korea
  • 1990    « Mixed Media », Kumho Museum, Seoul, South Korea
  •             « The 24th Korean Fine Arts Association Exhibition », National Museum of Modern and Cotemporary Art, Gwacheon, South Korea
  •             « Two Photographers from Korea », R.I.T. Gallery, Rochester, US
  • 1989    « The 23th Korean Fine Arts Association Exhibition », National Museum of Modern and Cotemporary Art, Gwacheon, South Korea
  • 1988    « The New Wave of the Photography », Walker Hill Art Center, Seoul, South Korea
  • 1987    « Figurative Ideas », The Korean Cultural Center of New York, New York, US