EXHIBITION OF PHOTOGRAPHS FROM SOUTH KOREA

Adi Segal was awarded a grant by the Meitar Collection and was sent to take photographs in South Korea. Her travels across the whole of that country resulted in a socio-cultural document seen through the lens of a young photographer. She attempted to penetrate the enticing curtain of imagery and present a personal look at the people of this country who have gone through drastic upheavals and changes in recent centuries. 

The exhibition is shown in two locations on the campus of Tel Aviv University: one in the Sourasky Library and the second in the "Green House".

At the library entrance two main sets of works are displayed facing one another:  Religion and ancient Buddhist tradition, confronted by the tumult of the modern city. The photographic series of the monastery, which tells us the story of the site¸ follows the life of the nuns from the routine to the celebrations of Buddha's birthday. Natural light and candle-light shine benignly on the photographic story which is imbued with total simplicity, just as the natural behavior of the nuns in front of the camera depicts their complete trust in the photographer.

Faced with the silence and routine life of the monastery, the photographs of the city  at times reflect a familiar, modern, yet different and even extremist reality . A global metropolis thronged with people and happenings; neon lights, street signs, fast-food stands; an entire subterranean, almost science-fiction world goes about its business in the tunnels of the underground railway – ostensibly a "hyper-Western" culture that becomes more and more delusional.

The "Green House" shows photographs depicting the leisure hours of the big city's open spaces side by side with nature and tradition.

Helped by the light, the pictures recount the polar story of South Korea: natural light, candles and colored torches illuminate the monastery in contrast to the flickering lights of the city.

Segal is an independent photographer; she served in the photographic unit of the IDF Spokesman.