Damiano Pahk

Damiano Pahk (b. 1979) is an artist born in Seoul who spent many years in Italy and Paris. He studied Visual Arts – Scenography from Academie des Beaux Arts in France and Operation of Video Equipment at the La Filière – CFPTS Centre National de Formation.

He held various exhibitions at the Korean Embassy in Rome (2010), Officina Giovani in Prato (2011), Palais Medicis Riccardi in Florence (2011), Mairie de Fiesole (2012), Casa della Creatività in Florence (2013), I MacelliNO Theater à Certaldo (2014), Sanit-Denis (2016), Montmarte in Paris (2018), BINICI 18 rue Chapon in Paris (2019), GALERIE 67 Village suisse in Paris (2019), Galerie IHAM (2020), Galerie librairie IMPRESSION (2021), Galerie SHINSPACE (2022), Galerie Trapani in Sicilia (2022), and INDEX Gallery (Seoul) 2022.

 Damiano Pahk’s recent works are inspired by his time in Jeju Island. He completely immersed himself in in the premise of the island, becoming one with the cycle of nature. As he observed and engaged with the island’s sea, volcano, mudflats, and fields with all five senses, he was able to not only sympathize with nature but also fully integrate himself in the heart of the island. This brought forth his works of cyanotype prints pressed with basalt rocks on Hanji paper. He uses Hanji paper as his main material because it can endure the repetitive process of soaking and washing in water and becomes more durable over time. He believes it resembles the mind and spirit of the Korean people. He first brushes the paper with cyanotype solution, places the basalt rocks on top, and soaking it in the sea. This process lets the natural form of the stone be incorporated into the work through natural light. He gives freedom for nature to display itself on paper through the natural patterns it produces. By being on the premise of the land he wishes to observe, he gives a chance for nature to display the beauty it has to offer and capture its very essence.