Lee Gap-cheol et al.: Lee Gap-cheol
The photographs of Lee Gap-cheol (1959–) capture the people and nature of our land using a straight technique, yet in a way that feels somewhat unfamiliar and surreal. This is a unique photographic world achieved through a thematic consciousness deepened over series spanning from the 1980s to the present, combined with the refinement of his rapid snapshot technique. This peculiar world reaches its peak in the "Collision and Reaction" series, which seeks the spirit of our traditions and culture, following a progression that began with "Yankees on the Streets"—driven by curiosity about unusual places and situations and an exploration of photographic momentaryness—through "Images of the City," which focused on the relationships between people and structures set against the backdrop of modern cities, and "Land of Others," which addressed the sense of alienation stemming from the pervasive social inequality in this land. Lee's grammar, which attempts to speak about Korean identity by bringing it into the personal realm without merely "recording" it, serves as an expansion of the documentary genre and is what makes his photography modern and contemporary. The ‘Yeolhwadang Photography Library’ volume *Lee Gap-cheol* contains 65 carefully selected works from his representative series, making it the only book where one can encounter the transformation of Lee Gap-cheol’s artistic world in one place, spanning over twenty years from the 1980s to the 2000s. Furthermore, the artist essay by poet Bae Mun-seong, which illuminates his biography and photographic world through an in-depth interview, and the artist’s own short yet powerful messages dedicated to his photographs, serve as a new window for interpreting his work. Since 2017, the ‘Yeolhwadang Photography Library’ has improved upon previous shortcomings with a new design and binding, applying these changes to subsequent revised editions and new releases.
Korean title: 이갑철
Korean author: 이갑철 외
Korean publisher: 열화당
ISBN-13: 9788930107174
