The photographer Koo Bohnchang is the subject of a solo exhibition titled Light Shadow: Koo Bohnchang at the Korean Cultural Centre AU (hereafter KCC), Sydney, Australia, through November 13, 2020. Established in 2011 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Australia, the KCC has served a pivotal role in introducing the arts and culture of Korea to local audiences. The exhibition, organized by the KCC as part of Australia’s largest photography festival called ‘Head On Photo Festival,’ showcases Koo’s Vessels series, which captures the essence of white porcelains from Korea’s Joseon Dynasty. 

Throughout his career, Koo has traveled widely in search of white porcelains of the Joseon Dynasty scattered across different institutions around the world—namely Kyoto’s Koryo Museum of Art along with other renowned institutions in Paris and London—meticulously documenting each vessel as if it were a portrait of a person. The 39 works on view extend beyond the mere visual depiction of the vessel as a subject, conveying the imperfect yet unique beauty of it imbued with warmth and spirit. The exhibition includes a series of 12 photographs presenting the moon jar in the form of the moon rising and falling across 12 phases, as well as a collection of three scrolled photographs of the vessel. These works are accompanied by an essay written on Koo’s white porcelains by the Korean novelist Park Wansuh. Due to COVID-19, the KCC will be sharing exhibition-related content, including the artist interview, online via the institution’s Facebook page to heighten visitor experience.