ExhibitionMasters

Limb Eung Sik “Chicks” 1946, courtesy of Limb Eung Sik Photo Archive

The Masters exhibition showcases vintage prints by Korean and Japanese photographers from the prewar period to the postwar era of the 1950s. This special exhibition highlights the photographic exchange between Korea and Japan, while commemorating the development of Asian photographic culture. It emphasizes the historical significance and diversity of this cultural exchange.



Lim Eung Sik “Job Hunting” 1953, courtesy of Limb Eung Sik Photo Archive & Gallery Yeh The 1950s and 1960s were pivotal decades for modern Korean photography. After the Korean War (1950-1953), Lim Eung Sik (b. 1912-2001, Busan) focused on life-centered photography (Saenghwaljuui realism), a form of everyday realism that highlighted the realities of society and daily life, which gained significant popularity in the post-war period. In 1956, Lee Hyung Rok and Han Youngsoo formed the Shinseonhoe photo group, emphasizing reality-based photography and documenting contemporary life. Han, a prominent first-generation commercial photographer, became well known for capturing Seoul’s rapidly changing landscape, securing his place in Korean photography. Many young photographers were also inspired by Edward Steichen’s “The Family of Man” exhibition in Seoul (1957). This led to significant developments in Korean photography, such as the establishment of the Dong-A Photo Contest and the inclusion of a photography section in the National Art Exhibition (Gukjeon).




Ikko Narahara, From the series "Tokyo, the ‘50s", ©︎Ikko Narahara Archives、courtesy PGI
Japanese photography in the 1920s, after World War I, saw significant growth alongside the avantgarde art movement and the modernization of urban areas. In 1930, members of the Naniwa Photography Club founded the Tanpei Photography Club, marking the beginning of a vibrant period for both photographic expression and criticism. This movement was influenced by European art and photography trends such as Bauhaus, Surrealism, and Subjective Photography, while also being shaped by unique social conditions in Japan. Like Korea, the photographic expression developed during this period laid the foundation for what would later be known as modernist photography in Japan, continuing into the early postwar years. 
In this exhibition, we present the works of photographers such as Yūshi Kobayashi and Noboru Ueki, who were active as members of K.P.S. in the 1930s, and Osamu Shiihara, a member of the Tanpei Photography Club. Additionally, we feature Ikkō Narahara's Tokyo, the ‘50s, a series of street snaps capturing Tokyo in the 1950s, alongside the works of Lee Hyung Rok and Lim Eung Sik, who documented Korea during the same period.




Yūshi Kobayashi, Title Unknown, n.d. ©Estate of Yūshi Kobayashi, courtesy of MEM & Marukawa Collection
The Marukawa Collection is a private collection focused on Japanese photography from the pre-war era to the present. It emphasizes avant-garde photography from the Kansai region during the pre-war and early post-war periods, as well as works by female photographers, aiming to convey the diverse aspects of photographic history of Japan. We hope that by exploring the Marukawa Collection, viewers can trace the activities and connections of individual artists and the flow of photographic movements. Our mission is to contribute to the dissemination of Japanese photographic culture.





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