Just as humans capture the world with their eyes, cameras also capture the world with lenses. A photographer uses the camera to present people with colorful images of the world, including sky and land, mountains and seas. But there is an artist who expresses more than reality with a camera. The moment he presses the shutter, a new world unfolds in front of him. This world, hitherto unseen, seems to lack reality but also resembles our lives. SMT entered the world of Eric Johansson, a photographer who takes pictures beyond imagination.
In his world
Eric Johansson, a young photographer from Sweden, impresses with his unique photos. As a surrealist photographer, he embodies the world beyond reality in photography through his fairytale-like and surreal imagination. In addition, he is a master of image editing. There are about 100 to 300 Photoshop layers used to complete a work, and the elaborate details and liveliness created through this process act as the main points of appreciation. As he said, "Photography is an art that contains ideas beyond moments," people can see many of his brilliant works at the <ERIK JOHANSSON Exhibition Beyond Imagination Vol.2_Episode 2> exhibition.
The exhibition is being held at 63 Art Hall on the 60th floor of 63 Square in Yeouido. To get there, take the Yongsan 04 bus from 'Sookmyung Women's Univ. Main Entrance' stop to the 'Malli Market Entrance' stop. Next, take the bus 261 from the 'Malli-dong Gogae' stop which is directly opposite the stop where you got off. After nine stops, get off at the '63 Building; Catholic University Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital' stop and walk for about six minutes to reach 63 Square, where the exhibition hall is located. The total traveling time is about 40 minutes. There are two ways to purchase tickets. You can either make an online reservation through Naver or TMON or purchase a ticket at the ticket office on the first basement floor. Whether you purchase tickets online or offline, an entrance barcode will be sent to you by mobile. However, the entrance barcode takes an hour after the ticket payment, so if you don't have time to spare, it is recommended to use an online reservation service about an hour before viewing.
To make Impossible possible
The exhibition offers a variety of content despite being a photo exhibition. First, the main exhibition is divided into a total of five sections. People can think about the messages that the images are trying to convey in each section. In addition, behind-the-scenes videos of the artist's production process are screened everywhere to enhance the public's understanding of his work. Also, there are various photo zones and experiential media booths. These serve to mix up the mood from time to time, retaining interest.
This SMT reporter would like to introduce the three most impressive sections of the five. First of all, Section 2, "The World I See," starts with a reference to individual different perspectives from growing up in different environments. The artist emphasizes that even if people look at the same scene, the interpretation can be different due to different ways of thinking. Therefore, when visitors see the work in the area, he encourages them to move a little further into their world and look through their own eyes. Next, in Section 3, "Taking Out Memories," he develops stories about his childhood memories. The visitors can deduce what objects or situations are the artist's memories in the images. <Soundscapes> is a work that expresses the appearance of sound waves coming out of the phonograph by connecting it with the reflected image of the tree reflected in the river. As the title says, the scene where the sound and scenery are harmonized well is captured in the image. Finally, in section 4, "My Own Space," the theme is about one's own quiet and comfortable space. Johansson emphasizes the "my" space where "I" can think in a complex reality. Therefore, pictures of houses and rooms are mainly used. In all sections, there were many photos using subjects or topics that were somewhat close to daily life. Although the photos dealt with non-heavy topics, they give a deep impression to visitors.
Ratings: ★★★★★
The exhibition allows the audience to enjoy photographs that convey Eric Johansson's brilliant ideas. He presents a completely new world with themes that are not too far from reality. His works also play a role in presenting many implications to people, not just as creative photography. In addition, there are many devices to increase the audience's immersion in the exhibition. The size of the exhibition hall is not large, but the dense composition and the large window overlooking the Han River in Yeouido reduced any inconvenience. Therefore, this SMT reporter recommends this exhibition to those who want to escape from the monotony of daily life with their unique imagination.
