Ilwoo Space ©Ilwoo Foundation

The Ilwoo Foundation, a subsidiary of Hanjin Group, has announced that Noh Sangik (52) in the publishing category, Park Chanmin (46) in the exhibition category, and Lee Sangyeop (48) in the nature and ecological documentary category have been selected as the 6th Ilwoo Photography Awards.
 
The Ilwoo Photo Award was established in 2009 to recognize promising photographers with talent and passion, and is now in its sixth year.
 
Every year, two to three passionate photographers are selected and supported to produce, exhibit, and publish their works in order to develop them into world-class artists with international competitiveness. In particular, the winners of the publishing category will be given the opportunity to publish a solo book of their works at Hatje Cantz, a German publishing house specializing in art books, to support their inclusion in the global art world.
 
The Ilwoo Photography Prize is open to all works created using the medium of photography, with no restrictions on specific disciplines. Despite its short history, it is regarded as one of the most prestigious support programs in Korea, with professional judging by world-class photography masters and a variety of benefits for winners.
 
Noh, who was selected in the 'Noteworthy Artist of the Year' publication category, created a work of outstanding quality and originality based on a systematic and three-dimensional analysis of the disease 'cancer'.
 
Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of the disease, he simultaneously attempts to trace the macro view of the medical industry and the psychological experience of patients, receiving positive reviews from the jury that he will present an art world with international impact.
 
Park Chanmin, who was selected for the exhibition category, has been exploring the living arrangements of contemporary urbanites by removing the windows of buildings. He was recognized as an artist with high potential for growth through his architectural photographs that provide insight into the way of life of urbanites while observing the transformation of social terrain through collective dwellings.
 
In addition, Lee Sangyup was selected as the 'Extraordinary Artist of the Year - Documentary'. He has been working since 1997, documenting the stages of social change that Asian countries have repeatedly experienced through his photographs of China's rural areas, cities, and nature.
 
The jury for the 6th Ilwoo Photo Prize was composed of five domestic and international experts. François Hébel, former director of the Arles Photo Festival and director of Magnum Agency; Eunjoo Choi, director of the Academic Affairs Department at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art; photographic theorist Park Joo-seok, professor at Myeongji University; Nadine Barth, director of international programs at Hasse Kanz publishing house in Germany; and photo psychologist Shin Soo-jin, creative director of the Ilwoo Foundation.
 
The three jury members selected 24 entries for the first round of screening, followed by in-depth interviews and judging, and finally selected two 'Notable Photographers of the Year' and one 'Extraordinary Photographer of the Year - Documentary Category'.
 
Among the finalists in the 'Notable Artist of the Year' category, one artist in the 'Publishing' category will receive a solo book published by Hache Kantz in Germany and a solo exhibition at Ilwoo Space, and one artist in the 'Exhibition' category will receive support for production activities and a solo exhibition at Ilwoo Space. One 'Special Artist of the Year' will receive KRW 30 million to support exhibition or publication activities.

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