RECOLLECTIONS

"Recollections" is a photo essay reflecting on the moments and places that have shaped my journey of self-discovery. The photographs offer a contemplative exploration of the fragments and layers that shape a landscape of dreams, losses, and memories.

This journey begins with my visit to Rajasthan, India, in 1992. The timelessness and vastness of the desert expanded my perspective, allowing me to recognize my true passion for photography during a period of uncertainty in my life. Since then, the camera has become my creative medium—a way of cultivating my voice through the lens.

In 2009, the loss of my mother to depression made me realize how fleeting and fragile life can be. The Cheonan Memorial Park in South Korea, where her final resting place is, became a sanctuary of peace and contemplation. My connection to the past has persisted through visits to cemeteries, where I wander the quiet paths and read the stones, curious about the departed lives.

The Korean Royal Palace “Gyeongbokgung” holds many cherished memories of my childhood, particularly those with friends and family. Once a place of joy and wonder, Gyeongbokgung is now a place for nostalgia and introspection, where I find myself revisiting these joyous memories as I walk along the palace walls today.

Recollecollections also incorporates images from two of my previous series —“Sound of Butterfly” and “Dreamscape” — that weave together the exhibition’s narratives by reflecting on my mother’s life and tracing the echoes of my childhood.

“Recollections” has become a visual metaphor for my photographic journey and how it has deepened my understanding of the cycle of life and fading memories. This body of work invites viewers to contemplate and reflect on their own pasts, encouraging them to create new narratives from their own experiences and memories.