KMK: HumanScape

Let me tell you that the International Photography Festival going on right now in Seoul is well worth the visit. Even if you despise photography the old seoul station building is a sight to see all by itself. The place could have been empty and I would have wandered around peeking and poking at the crumbling old but stately building. She’s like an old dowager empress fallen on hard times: defiant and proud despite the faded glory and worn edges.
Humanscape is the name of the festival and let me tell you the only thing I wanted to escape was the cold. I met up with friends and had to warm the cockles of my heart with a cup of steaming java before even thinking of venturing onward into the exhibit. I don’t even know what a cockle is, but I wanted it warm and toasty.

Once of the more surprising relvelations about this exhibit is that you are allowed to take photos of the photography! Just don’t use the flash and you’ll keep the montiors at bay.
I had gone in thinking it would be a small event but I didn’t know about the sheer massive size of old Seoul Station. The place is huge, gargantuan even, and they managed to put a photo in every nook and cranny and everywhere in between. Photos on the walls. Photos on the stairs. Photos in the corner.
Subjects spanned the emotional range of deep dark depression to the zany fun loving antics of a Korean man in full on Victorian Elizabethan drag.
So there’s definitely something for everyone.


Some of the photos on display I found truly inspiring and powerful while others found a gimmick and ran it into the ground and then stepped on it several times to get the most mileage out of it. Whatever you do, don’t miss out on this event! It’s worth the seven bucks. Go to Seoul Station and take exit two. You’ll see the old seoul station building behind the big Nikon bus.

















You’ll understand this last photo if you go to the exhibit.