(Hardcover : 144 pages ; Publisher : Youlhwadang ; 2003)
This is a collection of photos from Choi Min-shik’s most famous work, Human. His photos capture the distressing lives of Koreans, experiencing the Korean War and the Democratization Movement, from 1957 through 1980s. His photos, however, not only depict their tragic lives, but they also speak of human strength and inner peacefulness.
Choi Min-Shik
Born in 1928 to an impoverished family, Choi harbored dreams of becoming a painter while attending art school at night after working all day. He finally made it to an arts institution in Japan, where he came across Edward Steichen’s “The Family of Man” photography book. Struck by the honesty of the black and white images, Choi decided to follow suit and took up the camera. Returning to Korea, he documented the harsh realities of the Korean Peninsula and people following the Korean War (1950-1953), shooting traditional markets, locals, and underprivileged children in Busan. His stark imagery created enemies in the dictatorial state under Park Chung-hee, who wanted to portray the country as a successful and growing nation. Choi began his “Human” series, documenting everyday life in the mid-60s, and published a total of 14 photography books under the same title until his death earlier this year in February. He was 84 years old.
Recent Comments