Cityscape Landscape Photographer Seoul

Overview

THIS SERIES RECEIVED 1ST PRIZE AT THE EUROPEAN PRIZE OF ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY IN 2011.

SOUTH KOREA, AND SEOUL IN PARTICULAR, IS ONE OF THE MOST URBANIZED PLACES IN THE WORLD. AROUND 80% OF THE POPULATION LIVES IN CITIES. AS URBAN AREAS CONTINUE TO EXPAND, THE TRADITIONAL IDEA OF A COMPACT CITY NO LONGER APPLIES. URBAN SPACE AND RURAL SPACE NOW BLEND TOGETHER, AND CLEAR BORDERS BETWEEN THEM HAVE ALMOST DISAPPEARED.

THE LARGE-SCALE SUBURBAN GROWTH AROUND SEOUL HAS CHANGED THE CHARACTER OF THESE AREAS. THEY ARE NO LONGER FULLY RURAL, YET THEY ARE NOT ENTIRELY URBAN EITHER. THIS LOSS OF THE RURAL ALSO AFFECTS THE CITY ITSELF, WHICH NOW FLOWS OUTWARD INTO A NEW AND MIXED LANDSCAPE.

URBAN NATURE IS A PERSONAL PROJECT I SHOT AS A PHOTOGRAPHER IN SEOUL AND OTHER PARTS OF SOUTH KOREA. THE WORK EXPLORES THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE RURAL LANDSCAPE AND THE ARCHITECTURAL TRACES IT LEAVES BEHIND. AS RURAL AREAS FADE, ONE CAN SEE MORE AND MORE RURAL IMAGERY APPEARING ON BUILDING FACADES THROUGHOUT SEOUL, AS IF THE CITY IS TRYING TO HOLD ON TO SOMETHING THAT IS SLOWLY DISAPPEARING.

PHOTOGRAPHER

NILS CLAUSS

CLIENT

PERSONAL

FURTHER INFO ON

EUROPEAN PRIZE OF ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY

DEUTSCHES ARCHITEKTURMUSEUM

PHOTOS

lone fisherman sits by a river in Seoul, South Korea, as cyclists pass by on the bike lane behind. In the background, a factory building displays a mural of trees on a grassy hill under a blue sky

The facade of an older residential building on a steep decline in Seoul, South Korea. A mural on the surrounding wall depicts a serene landscape with crumbling paint

A discharge pit on a Seoul subway station rooftop, with apartment buildings rising behind. A mural on one building depicts a stream in a mountain landscape

A nighttime mural on a building corner in Seoul, South Korea, featuring large rocks in a mountain stream bed. A CCTV camera is positioned in front of the mural

A discharge pit rises above the pavement on a pedestrian walk in Seoul, South Korea. Behind, a fence displays a pine tree forest

A mural-covered wall in an urban neighborhood of Seoul, South Korea, depicting a landscape with pine trees. An air conditioning exhaust pipe protrudes from a small hole in front of the mural

A covered passage at a car wash center in Seoul, South Korea. The backdrop wall features a large photo of a serene snowy mountain landscape by a beautiful blue lake

A white car parked in a lot with a safety guide directing. Bushes separate the lot from the building behind. A billboard shows faux pink flowers against a blue sky

A construction site in Seoul, South Korea, fenced off with a fence displaying a lush forest environment, contrasting with the urban setting

A grassy field with a performance stage backed by a wall depicting Seongsan Ilchulbong on Jejudo Island. A real hill rises above the painted landscape