Frozen Gaze
Zo Sun Hi
Museum Hanmi
Korean and English
Texts by Sunyoung Kim, Phil Lee, Zo Sun Hi
Edited by Museum Hanmi and Jeehyun Kim
Hardcover
136 pages
245 x 325 mm
2025
ISBN 979119346211993660
Known for her distinguished career in portrait photography, ZO unveils a new body of artistic work in this exhibition. Building upon the visual sensitivity and experience cultivated through her commercial photography practice, the artist moves beyond photography as documentation and representation, translating her perceptions and contemplations into visual form.
The series 𝘍𝘙𝘖𝘡𝘌𝘕 𝘎𝘈𝘡𝘌, featured in this exhibition, began in 2018 when the artist encountered a dead sparrow in front of her studio. Since then, she has continued to photograph birds that had died from road accidents, preserving them in blocks of ice before photographing them. Confronted by the image of the dead bird, ZO was reminded of her late father. Through the act of freezing, she faces the emotions that remained suspended within her—the inability to fully accept her father’s passing. The title 𝘍𝘙𝘖𝘡𝘌𝘕 𝘎𝘈𝘡𝘌 encapsulates this still, uncirculated emotion and the artist’s will to look straight into it without turning away.
Behind the seemingly simple image of a bird encased in ice lies the artist’s repeated process of freezing and melting, a meditative act through which she reflects on time, memory, and emotional stillness. Through this work, ZO engages in a contemplative practice of facing her own memories and emotions with precision and care. Viewers, in turn, are invited to confront their own experiences of loss and the frozen emotions residing deep within.
(Source: https://museumhanmi.or.kr/en/post_exhibition/)
About the Artist
Zo Sun Hi is a Korean-American photographer based in Los Angeles, California. She is best known for her vibrant and colorful photographs that capture the beauty of everyday life. Sun Hi was born in Seoul, South Korea and moved to the United States when she was just a child. She grew up in Los Angeles and developed an early interest in photography. After graduating from high school, she attended the Art Center College of Design where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography.Sun Hi has been featured in numerous publications including Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. Her work has also been exhibited at galleries around the world including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. In addition to her photography career, Sun Hi is also an active member of the Korean-American community. She regularly volunteers with organizations that promote cultural exchange between Koreans and Americans. She also serves as a mentor to young photographers who are just starting out in their careers. Sun Hi’s work is characterized by its vivid colors and unique perspectives on everyday life. Her photographs capture moments that are often overlooked or forgotten, creating a sense of nostalgia for viewers who can relate to her images. Sun Hi’s work continues to inspire photographers around the world with its beauty and creativity.
https://www.instagram.com/zo_sun_hi
(Source: https://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/photographers/zo-sun-hi/)
About the Publisher
In November 2003, the Hanmi Photo Gallery, the first art museum specializing in photography in Korea, was launched. At that time, there was no specialized organization in Korea that sponsored photo creation and exhibited and collected photos. The Korean-Micki Museum of Photography has launched exhibitions, publications, and education projects for the popularization of photographic art and the globalization of Korean photography, and actively promoted exchanges with overseas photography institutions.
The Korea Photo Culture Research Institute (currently Museum Korea-U.S. Research Institute) was established in 2009 and expands and organizes Korean photographer data, to enhance the substance of Korean photographers that are worthy of the physical growth of Korean photography and raise Korean photographers, which were staying at the level of personal research to the level of regular academics. Since its inception, the research institute has been publishing a collection of materials that are the basis for Korean photographer research every year. Then, in 2012, the Hanmi Photography Academy (currently Museum Hanmi Academy) was opened to expand the base of the photography population and enjoy the public’s photographic art.
In 2022, a new site was opened in Samcheong-dong for the 20th anniversary of its opening. This was a new attempt to expand the art of photography and seek contact with contemporary art. To commemorate this departure and strengthen the will, the art museum was reborn as a museum. Museum Hanmi embraces the tradition of photography and accepts contemporary art that takes photography as a companion as an extension of photographic art. While continuing its passion for photography so far, Museum Hanmi welcomes the attempts and achievements of new art that have arrived with the digital era.
https://museumhanmi.or.kr/
(Source: https://museumhanmi.or.kr/about/)
