Around the time of my last exhibition in JAN, 2025, I started sharing sketches and ideas with people about a new project I wanted to try. I wasn’t fully prepared, but I thought I could still show some aspects of it.
Aside from my personal photography work, I also do stage performance photography professionally for my job, which has led me to be surrounded by many incredible musicians.
Over the years, I’ve had the chance to collaborate with some truly exceptional artists.
(1) "The Sense of Water” with the Music Group SEUM
In 2022 and 2024, I had opportunities to integrate my photography into live music performances in a way that went beyond traditional visual presentations.
One such project in 2022 was a collaboration with the music group SEUM and media artist Min-jung Lee. Together, we staged a performance titled “The Sense of Water”, where my photographs were projected onto the stage alongside live music. This project was held at the Incheon Art Platform, featuring works from my 2021 solo exhibition and my pieces(photo works of 2021) that had been invited to the Xishuangbanna International Photo Festival in Yunnan, China.
(2) "古色蒼然(Timeless Antiquity)" with the Tradition Music Group SAET
Later, in 2024, I worked with the traditional music ensemble “샛 SAET” to create a performance called “Goseok Changyeon(古色蒼然, Timeless Antiquity)". For this project, I took photographs of Ganghwa Island in Incheon, S. Korea, displaying them on stage as part of the live performance.
Both of these collaborations were incredibly fulfilling experiences, and I was very pleased with the results. However, as I reflected on these projects, I realized that I wanted to go beyond simply presenting images alongside music. I started to feel a strong desire to directly translate colors and visual forms into musical elements—to create a more immediate and structured relationship between the two mediums.
Translating Color into Music
This desire led me to my latest exploration:
expressing color through music. I’ve mentioned this in previous videos, but my goal was to create a system where colors and sounds align structurally, allowing me to translate visual sensations into musical forms in a more systematic way.
In January 2025, I had the opportunity to present a pilot version of this idea at 1019 Gallery & Lounge as part of an invited solo exhibition. This exhibition further reinforced my enthusiasm for this approach, inspiring me to explore more possibilities.
Many artists have experimented with the concept of translating visual sensations into music, but I was particularly drawn to the works of Olivier Messiaen and Håkon Austbø. Their presentations and works to maintain consistency and coherence in their approach was something that deeply resonated with me.
As I reflected on the music I used to listen to, I began to develop a small ensemble setup - as a band - that could be performed in theaters or gallery spaces. This led me to focus on specific musical scales and modes that I felt could effectively convey color and form.
Messiaen’s Mode 3 and the Sound of Color
For this project, I decided to use Messiaen’s Mode 3 as a structural foundation for my musical interpretation of color. This involved constructing harmonies based on the pitches within this mode, allowing me to translate specific colors into corresponding musical elements.
For instance, one of my inspirations came from sunset landscapes—particularly the deep purple hues that blend the sky and sea at the horizon. This color, which I find incredibly evocative, felt like something I could express through sound.
Messiaen’s Mode 1 (which is essentially the whole-tone scale) is often structurally identical to what some call the diminished whole-tone scale, derived from the seventh degree of the melodic minor scale. Using this kind of harmonic structure allowed me to create a richer, more nuanced interpretation of color through music.
Future Directions: From Color to Three-Dimensional Structures
Looking back at my last solo exhibition and my current works in progress, I feel incredibly excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.
Perhaps it’s because I’m still in the early stages of this exploration, but I feel like I’ve discovered something new and deeply engaging. Right now, I’m working on musically interpreting pieces from my 2023 exhibition, refining my approach, and exploring ways to push this concept further.
The next step in my journey is to explore how three-dimensional structures can be translated into sound.
This idea stems from a previous project of mine: In 2019, I worked on a photography series “Exploring Polyhedron.” Now, I’m considering how I might reinterpret elements of that project in a new way—using sound to represent spatial and structural aspects rather than just color. Because ... this work was B&W and those photos reminds me that it'll be very fascinating, if I can make musical expression a kind of three-deminsional structures.
For me, creation isn’t just about producing external objects—it’s about experiencing, engaging, and transforming oneself. It’s not just about making something new—it’s about being present in the process, allowing oneself to be changed by the creative act.
And that’s what excites me the most.
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