HAN SUNGPIL - EXPOSURE INTERNATIONAL OPEN CALL

The consequences of global warming have been creeping upon us critically in the last decade. The wildfire burned roughly 20,000 hectares in the Watertoon Lakes National park which impacted approximately 38 % of the park and large acres of Banff & Jasper National Park. The aftermath of the wildfire was atrocious. Regrowth and recovery of such wildfires can take up to 40 years.

I visited the tragic sites when the affected area was covered in Canadian snow after the summer had gone. It was as if the humongous forest never existed. There was a sense of silence and stillness while nature was healing itself. Viewing the body work of the Frozen Fire project at a distance, or through a display device may create an illusion of viewing an oriental painting; with its fine line seeming details and moderation of colors. However, in a large size of printed medium, the audience is able to visually experience the fine details of thousands of trees still standing with resilience, and some already fallen horizontally after the horrendous wildfire that is now camouflaged with Alberta snow ever so peacefully. I wanted to capture the almighty restoring force of nature at the affected site out to the audiences. While this piece delivers awe of nature to the viewers through artistic expression of the tragic event, the compelling message that it also carries is the impact of environmental devastation which awakens advocacy for environmental protection for the public.

BIOGRAPHY

Born in Seoul, Republic of Korea / Lives in Calgary, Canada. Han Sungpil practices art mainly by means of photography, video, and installations, covering subjects such as environmental issues, originalities, history, and the relation between the real and the represented.

He strives to understand the world’s diversity by exploring nature and interpreting mundane worlds that have been sources of his inspiration. This process of philosophical inquiry and artistic representation often includes a sense of humor in a subtle manner, incorporating sublime elements of beauty, the objects and concepts we consider worthy to discuss and enjoy at a seminar or festival of aesthetics. Once his works enter the exhibition hall, they become invitations for the appreciators to explore arrays of philosophical questions, one of the most crucial ones being how we can design an ideal synthesis for the post-contemporary.

His works have been exhibited and reviewed at notable venues and events around the world in South Korea, USA, France, Argentina, China, Germany, U.K, Spain, Italy, Japan, Cuba and Mexico.

He received a BFA in photography from Chung-Ang University in Seoul and completed Curating Contemporary Design, a joint MA program offered by Kingston University and the Design Museum, both in London. He migrated to Canada in Feb 2020.

As compared to his past work directed to cultural and architectural elements, his current projects are geared towards significant environmental issues especially those catastrophic signs occuring in Canadian locations that hold significant importance such as glacier loss and wildfire.

He hopes through his approach and concept there will be a discourse to begin the philosophical question, about the environmental importance to individual Americans and the development and conservation of nature, without siding with any political agenda and maintaining harmony between both sides.