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네이버 공유 카카오 공유 트위터 공유 페이스북 공유

Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s ‘Korea from Above’ Exhibition

What does Korea look like from a bird’s-eye view? To get an idea of this, a special photography exhibition of worldrenowned aerial photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand, ‘Korea from Above,’ was recently held at the Gallery Nuri of the Korea Foundation Cultural Center (February 18-28), in conjunction with “Four Seasons of Korean Wetlands” by Serene Cho, a guest photographer of the Ramsar Convention 2008 hosted in Korea.



‘Korea from Above’
Yann Arthus-Bertrand, a world-famous French photographer known for his various projects that are designed to promote the earth’s sustainable development, displayed his photographs of Korea. The exhibition featured aerial photographs of Korea, from the DMZ to Dokdo Island, which Arthus-Bertrand had taken from a helicopter, over a period of five years. The photos on display included images of green-tea fields with gently flowing waves of brilliant green and the landmark Sungnyemun gateway, prior to its destruction due to arson. The unique vantage point of Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s photographs enabled viewers to appreciate the magnificent wonders of Korea’s natural landscape.

‘Four Seasons of Korean Wetlands’
At the invitation of Yann Arthus-Bertrand, the exhibition also featured the photographic works of Serene Cho. Cho is an environmental photographer who attracted attention when he was invited to show his photos at the Ramsar Convention 2008, held in Changwon, Korea. Over the past 20 years, he has captured vivid images of wetlands areas at the upper Hangang River, as well as Toechon and Gyeonghancheon, in Gwangju, Gyeonggido Province, under a theme of the four seasons of Korea’s wetlands. Featured in the exhibition were Serene Cho’s photographs of wetlands in Korea that depicted the fragile nature of these areas, which can only be preserved though the conscientious efforts of environmentalists and the general public.



Chance Encounter
In 2007, Serene Cho happened to be wandering about the Secret Garden (Biwon) of Changdeok Palace in Seoul, when he noticed a helicopter hovering nearby with a photographer taking pictures of the palace grounds. As it turned out, the photographer was Yann Arthus-Bertrand. After such an unexpected encounter, Serene Cho hoped to see Arthus-Bertrand again, perhaps related to a photography exhibition. And in fact, this hope became a reality at the Ramsar Convention.
The exhibition served as an occasion for globally acclaimed photographers to make known the wondrous beauty of Korea’s natural environment to viewers, thereby emphasizing the importance of promoting environmental protection. In particular, the works of the two photographers are expected to contribute greatly to a broadened awareness of the significant role that is played by wetlands areas in the ecological cycle.
During the exhibition, Serene Cho’s photography book “Whisper of Wetlands” was made available for purchase by visitors. Profits from the book sales are being donated to a project for building wells in Cambodia, in order to provide local residents with clean drinking water.
In addition, the Korea Foundation Cultural Center is also hosting an exhibition featuring the life and works of representative Czech writers Karel Capek (1890-1938) and Jaroslav Seifert (1901-1986), through March 12. The “All Beauties of the World and the Man Who Gave Name to Robots” exhibition presents the representative works of the two Czech writers, known around the world, along with various robots and informational panels about their life and creative works.

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