Photographer unearths utopia in Death Valley

Year after year aspiring photographers trek out to Death Valley to capture its desolate beauty. Rarely do any of them manage to stand out from the crowd.
Veteran photographer Kim In-tae, however, is an exception.
This 61-year old Korean photographer traveled through the valley, marveling at the changes that wind and light played in its canvas. His ability to capture the effervescence and transience of nature has earned him numerous awards, including recognition from the Royal Photography Society in Great Britain, for his work featured in South Shield`s 41st and 42nd Pictorial Photo International Exhibitions in 1981 and 1982.
His sweeping landscapes, including his shots of the valley, were showcased at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art`s "Landscape Photography After Ansel Adams: Selections from LACMA`s Permanent Collection" (2003) and "Made in California: Art, Image, and Identity 1900-2000" (2000) exhibitions.
Now his works have come to Insadong. On display until next Monday at Gallery Topohaus, this L.A.-based artist`s photographs pay tribute to those before him -- including the great Ansel Adams -- while also paving a new path for landscape photographers of the future.
His subdued shots speak volumes. By focusing on the way the sand dunes in Death Valley highlight the power of light, Kim presents a refreshing take on an all-too familiar landscape.
"From the darkness, dawn comes shining, its light reflecting its beauty on the dunes," he writes in the afterword to his catalogue "Wind Drawing" (2003).
For Kim, light is not a tool, it is a subject. As reflected in his work, "Light and Shadow" (1992), the dune, one side light, the other side dark, projects its razor-sharp nature, which snakes up the horizon on a blade of black.
Kim understands not only the importance of light, but also the healing nature of the dunes. As conveyors of climate influenced by the winds and the light, they reflect the desires of nature.
"Once more, wind blows through the canyons of dunes, and it makes up its face all over again," the photographer writes, pondering the stark beauty of the landscape, recalling how he watched the wind turn the sands into water and created intense ripples on its fluid surface.
His camera captures that fleeting beauty. From the astounding sculpted waves in "Storm Wind" (1985) to the holographic semicircles arcing through his "Sound Wave" (1993), Kim unearths a universe hidden within the sands of California and Nevada.
"There is a utopia in the desert," he writes. "I feel cleansed and life starts anew."
Kim`s solo exhibition, titled "Landscape," runs through June 16 at Gallery Topohaus in Insadong. The exhibition includes recent photographs of Mount Geumgang. For more information call (02) 734-7555 or visit topohaus

By Jean Oh
　(oh_jean@heraldm.com


2008.06.10