Kanghyuk Lee: Down The Rabbit Hole

Down The Rabbit Hole by KANGHYUK LEE (@snakepool) presents the photographer's selected works from 2015 to 2017 comprised of 100 pictures of portraits, everyday objects, landscapes, indie musicians, artists, designers, drag queens, and Seoul's youth subcultures. 

Words Kanghyuk Lee, Interpretation Teresa Eun Joung Hong, Photos Anujin Natsagdorj

I am studying art and working as a photographer, as well as taking participations in planning and exhibiting various media organizations and individual showcases. In the past I assisted in opening group exhibitions in institutions like Common Center, D Project Space from Daelim Art Museum, Lotte Avenuel Gallery, and many more. Currently I am holding my first solo exhibition Down The Rabbit Hole in Hongdae, with the main themes focusing on subculture, art and design, and the queer community.

Down The Rabbit Hole features a large number of people who participated in the planning of the project. Ranging from close friends to acquaintances living in the subcultural art and design field, about a hundred photos and portraits, including commercial projects were taken.

@snakepool was first introduced as my ID name back when I was posting my pieces on blogs. The exhibition title Down The Rabbit Hole was conceived through a number of references. First, my work back then and now were quite enigmatic and abnormal, not very mainstream-like. So I thought that the phrase perfectly represented my work. "Down The Rabbit Hole" is also the title of a chapter in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Neo's computer screen in The Matrix reads, "Follow the white rabbit." The "Rabbit Hole" is also a theme within the queer community.

The main purpose of the exhibition and the accompanying publication is to introduce and popularize the matter of cultural diversity as well as raising awareness to the struggle individuals face living in contemporary Seoul. I wanted to convey a message to society featuring themes of feminism and the negative animosity sexual minorities face. By using "snap photography" or "indoor photography", the final outcome is a collection of unique, liberating, and unfamiliar sensations.

Down The Rabbit Hole by KANGHYUK LEE (@snakepool) is exhibited at Platform Place Hongdae from 2017.11.8 to 30.