The Tumen River Project

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Between politically and ideologically distinct regions, the Tumen River (두만강, Doomangang) is a natural border on the northern edge of the Korean Peninsula. The river, which separat es China, North Korea, and Russia, carries a deep emotional connection as it is immortalised in many Korean songs and historical narratives. The river’s role as a crossing point for North Korean defectors risking their lives to seek freedom, emphasises its tragic significance. Hyung-Geun Park (KR) retraced the defection routes of these refugees, starting in Seoul and passing through various Chinese cities before reaching the basin of the Tumen River. This journey is documented through photographs of views and places associated with the defectors’ stories. Park’s constructed images are devoid of any significant human presence and combine documentary truth with symbolic references. The Tumen River Project begins from two perspectives: from the Unification Observatory in South Korea, which offers a seemingly peaceful but artificial view of North Korea, and from the Chinese border, where the harsh realities of the North Korean regime become more apparent. These contrasting views highlight the dichotomy between the idealised image of North Korea and its harsh reality. The Tumen River Project is part of the series Layers of Memories, together with Jejudo. Both titles are co-published with Vostok Press. Hyung-Geun Park (1973) is a South Korean artist and photographer and graduate of Goldsmith College in London. Using photography to capture the subtle nuances of everyday life and the ephemeral qualities of the natural world, Park often reflects on the balance between untouched nature and human influence. His solo exhibitions have been featured in the New Art Gallery in Walsall, Kumho Museum of Art in Seoul, Jeju Museum of Contemporary Art, Paola Meliga Galleria d’Arte in Turin, the Gyeonggi Creation Center in Ansan, among others. His work has also been displayed in international festivals such as the Jeju Biennale, PHOTOQUAI Biennale, and Daegu Photo Biennale. Park received several awards, including the 9th Daum Prize in 2010, the Les Résidences de PHOTOQUAI in 2014, and the 12th Ilwoo Photo Award in 2022. Concept, photography and text: Hyung-Geun ParkDesign: Carel FransenLithography: Gaëlle van den Dool (Wilco Art Books)Production: Wilco Art Books (NL) 195 × 220 mm 40 pages English Cahier with fold-outs First edition: 400 9789493363144 Show more