Each year, the DongGang Photography Award honors a photographer for their contributions to the development of Korean photography through dedicated artistic practice and has played a role in introducing Korean photography to international audiences. The recipient is selected each year through a rigorous review process conducted by professionals in the field. 

This year’s recipient, Seoungwon Won, has consistently demon-strated the expanded potential of photography as a medium—striking a balance between photographic indexicality and artistic expression. She creates digitally composited prints by transforming and recombining multiple photographs she takes herself. Through this process, she constructs new scenes drawn from memory and imagination. Her unique and intricate photo collages—blending reality and fantasy—are significant in how they use digital techniques to evoke a sense of analog nostalgia. Won’s artistic evolution has only deepened over time, and she was selected for the award in recognition of her capacity to contribute to both the contemporary discourse and the future trajectory of Korean photography. 

This exhibition presents a comprehensive survey of the artist’s practice, encompassing works from her early career to recent projects. Layer upon layer builds intricate, imagined worlds—where her singular visual sensibility weaves unexpected elements into evocative new narratives.

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23rd DongGang Photography Award Winner - Seoung Won WON