The Appearances of a New Ghost_Ji, Ho Jun's Nanography
Choi Yeonha,  Photography, Independent Curator


Today's photographs attempt various verifications through reflective meta-photographs. It may even be said that it is the Diaspora era of photographic images, with the unpredictable future of photographic images as mutual texts that combine fact and fiction. Photography, with its rapid transformation, presents a new function and role as it mixes with art, science, and industry. This is not just because of the progresses in the development since the invention of the photograph. It is in the same context as what Paul Valéry once said, that not only does the appearance of a noble technological means change the form of art, but also changes the concept of art itself. This creates various cultural phenomena and change in culture that offers a new visual paradigm, whilst opening a new horizon.  In this sense, Ji, Ho-jun's Nanography is a work that is worth observing on its future influences.

Photographs, because of the photographer's extraordinary symbolism, are increasingly captivating as time passes by. Among this, there exists Ji's new photographs that reject being trapped in a net of exclusive instructions and meanings. His pictures, which slowly brings back what is unseen back to our world, is full with dynamic symbols and hints. Despite that photographs are considered a different kind of imitation, only unrealistic fantasies and fictions can be seen in Ji's photographs. There is no way of knowing whether this place is an opening in the forest or nightly shadows on a wall.
This photograph's desire to exist seems to whirl around a ghost ship. However, this was clearly born from an existing building and a never-before-seen image. This never-before-seen image is a nano-image, as small as 100,000th of the thickness of a single strand of hair. A magician, specialized in photography, has made a new ghost appear with his magic wand. Then does the statement that photographs are results of transferring reflected visible rays from the object in 3D to a 2D space have to be reconsidered? Or is nano also an existing object? Despite varying colors and sizes, what Ji has captured in his images is definitely the essence of nano. Essence is "existence" showing its original form and "light" is what shows its true nature. The birth of photographs was light, and the visibility of all objects come from light. Then this, which bottled the essence of nano (carbon, oxygon, silicon) that was always "there", is definitely a photograph. At times, it is a ghost that is omnipresent and absent at the same time. This is the Punctum that magician Ji, Ho-jun made bloom. Ji, Ho-jun's photographs stir our point of view and reason, and at the same time offer pleasure. It is also the "magic value" of the picture that Benjamin, who was sensitive to machine-produced art, paid attention to. His pictures contain a "non-visual point" in our world that is a three-dimensinal space, capturing the "unconscious visuals" and "chance" that layer what definitely exists but is unseen to our eyes. 

Overcoming the limitations of photography is overcoming the concept of photography. The newness of photography is nothing but the imagination of something that is beyond photography. For this, the ability to display new images creatively and deliver them universally is needed. This young ability to recognize objective targets is unique in its susceptibility and its ability to accept new media.  Without remaining at merely providing fascinating visual impacts using technology, Ji, Ho-jun creates a new conversation for the pictures through combining narration.  Ji, Ho-jun's photographs are negotiating and connecting with the world through abundant methods, revealing other worlds by flexibly mixing today with different objects.