Monday, March 09, 2009

Yousuf Karsh

Celebrating one hundred years since his birth, an exhibition of photos from the very gifted Yousuf Karsh is currently basking in the Korean spotlight. I was lucky enough to stand nose to nose with some very famous people for several hours on Sunday afternoon. Being able to look Hemingway in the eye took some courage even though he was looking beyond me but could I expect anything less from someone so gifted. I even wilted slightly under Churchill’s glare. Having his cigar removed moments before the shot had put him in a very foul mood.

The exhibition was housed at the Seoul Arts Center, a grand complex with many galleries, cafes, and an extremely well priced restaurant. Outside the entrance way to the Karsh exhibition one is able to buy all manner of nik-naks to remind yourself of how close you stood to these pieces of history. The only let down being, there was nothing in English apart from an expensive book of the Life and works of Yousuf Karsh. Mind you, if your buying a name emblazoned pencil, a pocket sized kaleidoscope or postcard there’s little need for language.

The Exhibition runs until the 8th of May and can be reached via a short walk from Nambu Terminal Station.
A view of a small slice of the Seoul Arts Center. There's a hell of a lot going on here at any one time.

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