Tommy Kwak

Statement:
These photos are of trees, foliage, and plants at night. The camera flash exposes them in bright light, as if jolting them from their sleep. What is revealed is a mix of natural and artificial forms normally hidden at night; broken flowers streaked on the sidewalk, a concrete sleeve holding up a tree, the synthetic yellow of plastic flowers, and a blossoming tree bound by tape. The inanimate objects radiate a life-force of their own, caught eerily in the harsh light.

Bio:
Tommy Kwak’s ethereal and quiet photographs explore absence and the unknown in natural phenomena. His work has been shown in New York City and Iceland, most recently in the group exhibition, Many Conversations, of the Northside Festival in Brooklyn, NY. He earned a BFA (Graphic Design) from California College of the Arts in 2002 and completed photography courses at International Center of Photography from 2006 to 2008. In 2010, Tommy participated in the SíM Residency program in Reykjavik, Iceland, as well as the international arts festival, Villa Reykjavik. Tommy grew up outside of Chicago and now lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. He has been an active member of Fowler Arts Collective and SONYA (South of Navy Yard Artists) since 2011.

Artist’s Website: tommykwak.com