Joo has appreciated natural landscape of Korea through his lense for 40 years. He is affectionate toward our mountains, earth and land more than any others and still persuits his firm belief that Korea is the most beautiful for koreans, ourselves. exhibition is based on rebuiling the scenic beauty of korea, which has been underestimated in the context of western perspective to appreciate nature. Especially, this exhibition will present not only his early landscape photos, which are never printed before, for the first time but also his latest works.

In series, the overall dark tone represents more than just simple black. In this original prints, forests, branches and stamens, stretches of grass are limned in duskiness, as if they imply silent dynamics in darkness. Originally, black represents darkenss and seclusion in photography. At least, it does in the methodology of western photography. Yet, to Joo Myung Duck, Black is another form of live and movement. In terms of this perspective, Joo Myung Duck Black is the first created tone by Joo, in that we can find the artistic world where the photographer？ affection toward our earth merged with photographic dark tone harmoniously.

Joo Myung Duck Black is one and only black like International Klein Blue by Yves Klein. IKB is the last element after distrilling all the materials and taking abstract to the extremes. IKB means alpha to omega and religious faith at the same time. On the contrary, Joo Myung Duck Black is the black, resulted by photographer？ intention and endeavor to keep figure itself and spantaneously turn to abstract integrated forms in general context. During developing and printing films in the darkroom, black-tone photography can be produced by accumulating light in the sensitized papers. Joo makes the best of details and these particulars mean the everlasitng vitality of our nature.

Joo presents our mountains and land not as grandeurs images which are derieved from western landscape photography, but as candid earth image where we have been rooted in. His works express his own gaze to our nature and lives, as his photos are reflecting his own journey of life, and herewith the meaning of existence of dominated photographer, Joo Myung Duck, can be realized.

Organized:
Daelim Museum / Park Joo Suck (Myongji University)
Sponsored:
Hi Seoul-Soul of Asia, Hyundai Insurance, LIG Insurance, Woori bank, Kyobo Insurance
Special Thanks to:
YoungChang Piano