 |
| Photos: from Kim's website |
Kim Jung-Man is a famous photographer from
South Korea. He has been taking pictures since he was in his late 20s. He
worked as a commercial photographer. Throughout most of his highly successful
30-year career, he still wants to push himself, and decided to challenge himself
in sharing the beauty of Africa and started a project called “Africa! Africa!”
Before we talk about his project, I want
to talk about a short introduction of this photographer. He was born in 1954, and
was raised for a large part of his youth in the rural outskirts of Burkina
Faso, West Africa. He then moved to France to study art and photography.
 |
| From:potforlio "African! Africa!" |
“I grew up in Africa,” Kim says. “And I’ve
been all around the world, trekking through deserts and places I never dreamed
of. Kim chose to explore his roots a little deeper. All those years outside his
boundary had taken its toll and stirred in him a restless need to find inner
peace and get to the heart of who he was. He continually pushes the boundaries
of his art and it seems every personal project he takes on is pursued with
overwhelming respect.
 |
| From: "Africa! Africa!" |
Finally, he started the project “Africa!
Africa” with many Korean celebrities and a volunteer organization called KOICA
(KOICA stands for the Korea International Cooperation Agency, a state-run relief
organization that sends some 1,000 skilled volunteers around the world annually
to help improve education and health conditions in third-world countries -
KOICA website) The 56-year old photographer is currently traveling South
Africa, Kenya, Tunisia, Botswana, and Zambia with KOICA volunteers to capture
the everyday lives of the local residents.
“From time to time, I will travel to two to three of those countries for about 20 days,” Kim said.
He learned that there is much more in life to capture and tell other people after witnessing environmental destruction and poverty in Africa.
“From time to time, I will travel to two to three of those countries for about 20 days,” Kim said.
He learned that there is much more in life to capture and tell other people after witnessing environmental destruction and poverty in Africa.
I never heard about this photographer until now, and I can see his project brings up a new perspective to many of us, who have been seeing Africa as just a place of povertt, war, and hunger. There are other beautiful ways to percieve this wonderful place, and Kim Jung Man definately does so. Awesome person.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you profiled a talented photographer, as I feel like I don't know many of them (besides Ansel Adams)! I think it is wonderful what he is doing -- choosing to focus on the beauty of life amid the poverty. It helps to spread the message of hope and a renewed sense of motivation to those viewing his amaziing photography.
ReplyDelete