"EXTRA ORDINARY: A PHOTOGRAPHER’S ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, “IS THIS IT?” SOLO EXHIBITION

September 14, 2024 • Photography

"Extra Ordinary: A Photographer’s Answer to the Question, Is This It?”

"Extra Ordinary" is a solo exhibition at Timeless Thrills featuring the photos and works of Enoch Ku (@ordinaryanywhere).

Today we are in an time of what Enoch Ku refers to as "digital romanticism," where social media and digital platforms present a curated reality of perfection and idealized moments. A constant stream of filtered photos, exotic travel vlogs, and posts of life milestones create an illusion of lives filled with adventure, flawless relationships, and perfection making the everyday of our own lives seem dull by comparison.

This constant exposure to romanticized content distorts our perception of reality, causing us to overlook the authentic beauty in the mundane aspects of daily life. Unchecked, disillusionment and cynicism deepens as the gap between reality and digital perfection grows.

"Extra Ordinary" is Ku’s response to the pervasive noise of digital romanticism. Rejecting the idealized, his work turns its gaze towards the authentic, the mundane, and the overlooked. This exhibition challenges viewers to critically question the allure of the digital world and, instead, to discover and appreciate the inherent beauty in simple, everyday realities. "Extra Ordinary" invites you to slow down, engage in closer observation, and find beauty in the ordinary moments that comprise our lives.

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오늘날 우리는 구세나가 ‘디지털 낭만주의’라고 부르는 시대에 살고 있습니다. SNS와 디지털 플랫폼은 완벽함과 이상화된 순간들로 꾸며진 현실을 제공합니다. 필터링된 사진들, 이국적인 여행 브이로그, 그리고 인생의 중요한 순간들을 담은 게시물들이 끊임없이 쏟아지며, 모험으로 가득 찬 삶, 흠잡을 데 없는 관계, 모든 면에서 완벽한 삶이라는 환상을 만들어냅니다. 이로 인해 우리의 일상은 상대적으로 무미건조하게 느껴지게 됩니다.

이러한 낭만화된 콘텐츠에 지속적으로 노출되면서, 우리의 현실에 대한 인식은 왜곡되고, 일상의 평범한 측면에 숨겨진 진정한 아름다움을 간과하게 됩니다. 이런 과정이 제어되지 못한다면, 현실과 디지털 완벽함 사이의 괴리는 점점 커지면서 환멸과 냉소만이 남게 될 것입니다.

‘Extra Ordinary’는 우리 주변에 만연한 디지털 낭만주의 온갖 소음에 대한 구세나의 응답입니다. 이상화를 거부하고, 그의 작품은 진정성, 평범함, 그리고 간과된 것들에 주목합니다. 이 전시는 관람자들에게 디지털 세계가 보여주는 매력적인 환상에 비판적으로 질문하고, 대신 단순하고 일상적인 현실에 내재된 아름다움을 발견는 경험에 도전하도록 이끕니다. ‘Extra Ordinary’는 여러분이 잠시 일상의 속도를 늦추고, 더 가까이에서 관찰하며, 우리 삶을 구성하는 평범한 순간들 속에서 아름다움을 찾을 수 있도록 초대합니다.

Enoch Ku is a Sacramento-based photographer whose work delves into the beauty of the ordinary. Rooted in the ideals of realism and influenced by a response to the romanticism of our digital age, Enoch seeks to capture the authentic, often-overlooked moments of daily life.

His @ordinaryanywhere project has garnered attention nationally and internationally by “Ignant”, “Architectural Digest (France)”, “The Guardian (UK)”, “Fisheye Magazine”, “Shit Gardens”, and “BOOOOOOOM”. Enoch’s work has been exhibited internationally, with shows in Fotografisk Center (Denmark), Skar Image Lab (New Zealand), Gareth Gallery (England), and Ephemere (Japan).

As a Korean American artist, his photography reflects his cultural heritage and personal experiences, offering a unique lens through which he explores the intersection of identity and the mundane. In 2022, he self-published his sold-out photography book, “My Neighborhood Rosemont, CA”, as a love letter to his neighborhood and his hometown Sacramento.

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캘리포나이 주도인 새크라멘토를 기반으로 활동하는 사진작가 구세나(Enoch Ku)는 평범함 속에서 아름다움을 찾습니다. 그의 작품은 리얼리즘의 이상에 뿌리를 두고 있으며, 디지털 시대의 낭만주의에 대한 응답으로 진정성 있고 종종 간과되는 일상의 순간들을 포착합니다. 구세나의 @ordinaryanywhere 프로젝트는 “Ignant”, “Architectural Digest (France)”, “The Guardian (UK)”, “Fisheye Magazine”, “Shit Gardens”, 그리고 “BOOOOOOOM” 등 국내외에서 큰 주목을 받았습니다.

구세나의 작품은 덴마크의 포토그라피스크 센터(Fotografisk Center), 뉴질랜드의 스카 이미지 랩(Skar Image Lab), 영국의 개러스 갤러리(Gareth Gallery), 일본의 에페메르(Ephemere) 등 여러 국제적인 갤러리에 전시되었습니다. 한국계 미국인 예술가로서, 그의 작품들은 문화적 정체성과 개인적인 경험을 반영하며, 정체성의 고유함과 평범함이 교차하는 지점을 탐구하는 독특한 시각을 제공합니다. 2022년, 그는 자신의 고향이자 주거지인 새크라멘토에 대한 사랑의 찬가로서 사비로 출판한 사진집 “Me Neighborhood Rosemont, CA”를 완판시켰습니다.

Curators

Enoch Ku & Paulo Buencamino

Opening Reception

Saturday, September 14th

6 - 9pm

Schedule

September 14th, 2024 - October 12th, 2024

Gallery Hours

Wednesday - Sunday

11am - 6pm

Press / Content

Good Day Sacramento / CBS News

Intro Video by Cisco Kuhl

Opening Night Photos by Troy Cooper

Three Part Video Series by Cisco Kuhl:

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Catalog

To request catalog email gallery@timelessthrills.com

Events

Thursday, September 19th - 10am - 11am
Student Workshop with Enoch Ku (Free to all students)
Description:
Experience a half hour talk by Enoch Ku about his photography philosophy followed by a half hour of Q&A.
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Saturday, September 28th - 9am - 12pm
Kotu Coffee Pop-Up
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Sunday, October 6th - 1pm - 4pm
Workshop + Photo Walk with Enoch KU
$120 cost - Only 15 spots available
RESERVE YOUR SPOT HERE
Description:
Join internationally Sacramento-based photographer Enoch Ku for an immersive workshop designed for photographers and artists who want to refine their craft and sharpen their creative eye. This 3 hour session combines insightful instruction with practical, hands-on experience, focusing on intersection of mindfulness and observation.
You will learn Enoch’s unique approach to capturing the beauty in everyday moments, embracing a slower, more intentional process. After a detailed teaching session, participants will engage in a guided photo walk, applying new techniques with real-time feedback and mentorship.
The workshop concludes with an interactive Q&A and constructive critique session, where you’ll have the opportunity to share your work, receive personalized feedback, and connect with fellow photographers. Ideal for intermediate to advanced photographers, this workshop is crafted to inspire, challenge, and deepen your creative process and visual storytelling.
A mid-workshop snack & drink will be offered for attendees.
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Thursday, October 10th - 6pm - 8pm
Artist Talk by Enoch Ku (Free to everyone)
Description:
In a world saturated with curated perfection and idealized moments, Enoch Ku’s photography takes a step back from digital romanticism, offering a fresh, reflective response. Drawing on the spirit of 19th-century realism while engaging with the complexities of both postmodernism and metamodernism, Enoch’s work examines the tension between cynicism and sincerity in modern life. His photographs invite viewers to find beauty not in the extraordinary, but in the mundane moments we often overlook.

In this talk, Enoch will explore the philosophical underpinnings of his work—how it intersects with postmodern skepticism and metamodern optimism—and the quiet power of authenticity in an increasingly curated world. He’ll also delve into how his Korean American identity has shaped his perspective and photography as both with an insider’s experience and an outsider’s reflection.