○ Sungyong Park: This is the time for ‘Gyeong Gi Culture' <Tell Me~ GGC>, which quickly conveys the cultural news of Gyeonggi Province. We are together every Friday. Let's meet Reporter Park full of bright energy. Hello. Reporter Park.

▶ Suyoung Park: Hello. This is Suyoung Park, a ‘Culture News Messenger’ that quickly delivers cultural news such as various exhibitions and performances in Gyeonggi-do. There are so many cultural lives that you can enjoy at home these days. There are many good exhibitions and performances around me, so they said they were too busy looking at each one.

○ Sungyong Park: That's right. The weekend quickly disappeared just by looking at the news of the exhibition and performance introduced in <Tell Me~ GGC>. Some people like me will be looking for it on the weekend after the broadcast is over. Now, then, what news did you bring today?

▶ Suyoung Park: Today, I'll start with a poem.

- Last words of an old philosopher -

I didn't fight anyone

There was no opponent worth fighting for

I loved nature, and after nature, I loved art.

I warmed my hands in front of the fire of life.

Now that the flames have subsided, I am ready to leave.

Walter Savage Lander, written on his 75th birthday

○ Sungyong Park: ‘Now that the flames have subsided, I am ready to leave. ‘ Good..

▶ Suyoung Park: Poetry is very implicit, so you think about the meaning of it. As we read the same verse several times, we quietly guess the author's intentions. Today's exhibition is exactly that.

○ Sungyong Park: Is this an exhibition that is implicit and makes you think quietly?

▶ Suyoung Park: That's right. Very philosophical, serious and profound. It is an exhibition called ‘The Philosopher's Stone' at Datz Museum, which consists of the works of four photographers. I will hear from curator Minjung Kang for more details on the exhibition.

▲ Interior view of Datz Museum <Philosopher's Stone>

[Interview/ Curator Minjung Kang]

“The Philosopher's Stone Exhibition is a group exhibition consisting of the works of four photographers, Ville Kansanen, Gretchen Lemaistre, Rhonda Lashley Lopez, and Diane Pierce from the western United States. In particular, this exhibition is noteworthy in that each of the four artists expressed their thoughts on nature, humans, and art in their own way of photography. Through the photographic results displayed through the artist's reflection process, it seems that viewers can indirectly feel and empathize with some invisible spiritual world through photographic art.”

○ Sungyong Park: It is a story about humans, nature, and art. I saw Reporter Park in person. How was it?

▶ Suyoung Park: Among the four writers, the work of the author ‘Rhonda Lashley Lopez’ is memorable. The atmosphere of the photo is very unique, so when I asked it, they said that the work was completed by adding gold leaf to the back of the printed photo.

○ Sungyong Park: Gold?

▶ Suyoung Park: Yes, it's Gold we know. It is a very special deal that the artist created a new work for an exhibition. However, it is said that this artist created a new work for this exhibition using the artist's own method of adding gold leaf.

○ Sungyong Park: Oh, alchemy didn't make gold, but this artist finished the work by adding gold.

▶ Suyoung Park: That's right. The subtitle of this exhibition is also ‘Alchemy in Photography'. It was artistically completed using gold. The exhibition was first opened online with COVID-19. If you enter the exhibition category on the Datz Museum homepage, you can enjoy not only the works of the artists but also introductions to the works. I recommended this exhibition to my friends. I'll hear what it was like to Park Soo-jin, who enjoyed the exhibition at home last weekend.

▲ Rhonda Lashley Lopez <Loch, Scotland, Abt> 1996,

platinum palladium print on vellum over 24k gold leaf, 11.4x17.1cm

[Interview/ Jinyang Park]

“Originally, I was looking without much thought, but looking at it seems to lead to deep thoughts. I thought some of the works were flat, but there were works that felt attractive because of the unique texture and material, and some were made of small insects. It deals with a variety of human and nature subjects, so I think it gave me a lot of things to think about. So, without even knowing, the thought bites the tail of my thoughts, so I was thinking about myself. I think it was a healing time to look back on myself once more.”

○ Sungyong Park: It seems that this exhibition was a healing in my busy life. As you look at the pictures and think about it, you will soon face yourself.

▶ Suyoung Park: That's right. So when I listen to humanities lectures, read poetry, and report on exhibitions, I feel myself deepening my thoughts. Curator Park Jin-hee said she fell in love with the photographic charm while preparing for this exhibition at the Datz Museum.

[Interview/ Curator Jinhee Park]

“Before I worked at the Datz Museum, the medium of photography was not very attractive, but while working here, I came across many photographic works. I am working with fun while feeling the charm of photography as I see a work that is not a general photographic medium but is experimental and can contain the artist's concerns or direction. I hope that the visitors will also see it while feeling ‘this could be a photo, I can express it this way'.”

▶ Suyoung Park: It's very quiet and my eyes sparkle when I talk about my work. I felt proud and passionate about this exhibition.

○ Sungyong Park: The person who watched the exhibition earlier (Jin Yang Park) said that even though it is a flat picture, the texture is felt and the artist has a lot of worries and thoughts. It seems that the intention of planning the exhibition was properly conveyed.

▶ Suyoung Park: Do you think you can have pride? I visited the Datz Museum in person for coverage. The museum itself is surrounded by nature, so it would be nice to have a relaxing time. There were also various experience programs utilizing this nature.

▲ Ville Kansanen <Earth #10 (880 days)> 2019, archival pigment print, 60x39.5cm

[Interview/ Curator Minjung Kang]

“There are wooden workshops, earthy forests, and residency. Unfortunately, we are currently having a temporary break due to the corona crisis. In the wood workshop, a professional carpenter is conducting a woodworking experience program for the general public, and the dirt forest can do programs such as making cyanotypes, kaleidoscopes, and film glasses based on the principle of photography, and planting herbs using the natural environment. Because of this, many people around us come and use it, and in the case of artist residency programs, we are also a great advantage. Since we are geographically in nature, the artists stay and work, and in fact, foreign artists came to the exhibition. There was also participation.”

○ Sungyong Park: Tree workshop, earthy forest, residency... There are really various programs. But, it seems like you've never heard of a residency program for the first time

▶ Suyoung Park: Isn't it amazing? Although it is not operated in this exhibition, it is said that the last exhibition alone did the artist's work here, and at certain times, he performed various activities with the audience in the outdoor space. Then, finally, I will hear the story of curator Min-Jung Kang who asks you to view this exhibition with the thought of ‘I am a philosopher.

▲ Diane Pierce from the series The Accidental Photograph, 2012, original,

four 4”x5” polaroids, 22.8x17.7cm

[Interview/ Curator Minjung Kang]

“Because it is a photographic work, you can think that it is very flat, but each work has a lot of different methods and attitudes of the artists who deal with it, and the subject matter is similar but different. So, if you spend a long time on each work, you can see it from close and then see it from a distance, and then pass it by as a photo. I think it would be nice if you think ‘I’ve become a philosopher' and enjoy the exhibition.”

○ Sungyong Park: Are you curious about how the four writers expressed the relationship between nature, humans, and art? The Datz Museum's “Philosopher's Stone” exhibition is said to be temporarily closed due to COVID-19. If you are curious about the exhibition, please join us through the online exhibition on the Datz Museum website.

▶ Suyoung Park: Thank you.

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