Curator Selection / 2023 / /

Desire

Throughout our lives, we constantly crave something. American psychologist Abraham Maslow classified human needs into five categories. The first is the biological desire to eat, sleep, have babies, and so on. The second is the safety desire to protect oneself from physical and mental anxiety. The third is the desire for affection and belonging. The fourth is the desire to be respected by others. The final stage is the desire for self-realization to develop oneself into a more mature human being. These works are about various human desires and are expressed in digital collage technique.

After graduating from university, Hyun-ju Ha worked as a journalist, editor, and planner, creating various content by processing images and text. She has been passionate about photography for over 10 years. Initially self-taught through photo cafes, blogs, and cultural centers, she now continues her studies at Hongik University Graduate School of Industrial Arts, focusing on photography design.

Her unique style involves surreal photo collages, known as DĂ©paysement, where she reassembles cut-out parts of her photos into new compositions. This meticulous process defines her artistic identity.

Awards 2024 10th FAPA Nominee in Photomanipulation part
2023 Jury Top5 Selection in the International Photography Awards
2023 Official Selection in the International Photography Awards
2023 9th FAPA 3rd winner in Photomanipulation part
2021 2nd University Photography Award in Korea