Body to Soul

Year: 1999
Medium: Gelatin silver print (edition 3 of 6)
Dimensions: 47.24H x 78.24W in
Original Artwork Price: $15,000

Kim Dae-soo's father was a first-generation advertising photographer, Kim Han-yong, who first introduced the color development system in Korea by running an advertising photography studio in Chungmuro. Kim Dae-soo came into contact with photography while helping his father's darkroom work as a child.

Kim has worked with one of the oldest photographic techniques using an analog camera for over 40 years. His works have focused on the deep and sacred relationship between man and nature through the sensitivities and uniqueness of bamboo forests since 1998. His ‘Bamboo Forest Series’ captures the spirit of accountability, perseverance and harmony in life.

Bamboo stalks are photographed up close, and like x-rays are lit up to reveal stark contrasts and complete deep darkness. The Bamboos as a result are depicted as impenetrable forest.

“What I want to depict through the Bamboo Series is not the object itself, but a picture of the society we live in and our attitude towards life. Even though my works look like they haven’t been touched in any way, in order to express my thoughts through images, I use different effects in the darkroom. And through the title of the works, I offer a direction to which I want the viewers to think and look. When viewers take the time to view my works, I believe that the messages will slowly be delivered to them.” -Kim Dae-Soo