Challenging reality through a camera lens

Whoever came up with the term “seeing is believing” may not have been thinking of the act of seeing through photographs. Even if the photographs have been untouched by digital alterations, can we say that the images seen through the lens of a camera are truly objective?
The exhibition “Pictures,” which opened Wednesday at Gallery Hyundai, poses this question through the works of nine art photographers.
Some portray works that focus on using photographic techniques to capture a subject in its original form, yet have an abstract look.
Jane and Louise Wilson, a sister team based in London, mainly take photographs of large factories or pipes. Lee Yoon-jean, who works in both Korea and Germany, shoots still lifes, while Dirk Braeckman takes photos of empty spaces and objects in black and white.
Other artists use the camera lens only as a tool to “draw” a painting.
Thomas Demand’s photos show architectural structures of his own creation; similarly, American artist Jam Casebere builds “sets” and take pictures of the empty space within.
Vik Muniz “recreates” works of famous artists by cutting out small pieces from magazine advertisements or newspapers and pasting them like a mosaic; he then takes a picture of the artwork. Along the same lines, Sharon Core makes cakes and candies in vivid colors, then takes photos of them.
Other participants include Roe Ethridge and Claus Goedike.
“All the works in this exhibition were made by using a camera, but they challenge our conceptions of art and question the reality and objectivity of what is seen through both the camera lens and our own eyes,” said Reena Jana, an art critic. “The exhibition shows that photographic techniques are continuously changing and hint that perhaps the line between various art genres is becoming blurry.”

by Wohn Dong-hee

“Pictures” runs until July 31 at Gallery Hyundai, a 10-minute walk from Anguk station on line No. 3. For information, call (02) 734-6111.