Artist Koo Bohnchang ©Kukje Gallery. Photo: Oh Seok Hoon.
On April 2, photographer Koo Bohnchang (b.
1953), who primarily works with photography as his main medium, was announced
as this year’s recipient of the Samsung Ho-Am Prize in the Arts. Koo is the
first photographer to ever receive the award in this category.
Established in 1993 by the Ho-Am
Foundation, the Samsung Ho-Am Prize in the Arts recognizes individuals who have
made outstanding contributions to the advancement of human culture and the arts
through creative, presentational, and research activities in the fields of art
and literature. Notable past recipients include Nam June Paik, Lee Ufan,
Kimsooja, Do Ho Suh, and Lee Bul. Last year’s award went to writer Han Kang,
the first Korean recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Koo Bohnchang,
Masks Series, 1998-2003, Archival pigment print, each
186.5x149cm, Installation view of 《Koo Bohnchang: The Look of Things》
(ACC, 2024-2025) ©ACC
The Ho-Am Foundation has described Koo
Bohnchang as having “developed his practice from the 1980s through experimental
works combining technical photography and an intricate artistic sensibility,
expanding Korean contemporary photography, conquering new areas at its
frontier. Koo’s well-known series, such as Vessel and Masks,
which reinterpret Korean traditional aesthetics, have been exhibited in various
institutions around the world, elevating the status of both Korean contemporary
art and photography,” substantiating their selection.
The award ceremony will be held on May 30.
Each laureate will receive a certificate, a medal, and a cash prize of 300
million KRW.
