Announcement of the 2nd Question Photography Award Winner
Presented by: Monthly Question
• Award Name: The 2nd Question Photography Award
• 2nd Award Winner: Photographer Lee Kang-san
• Award Ceremony Date & Time: October 18th, 2025 (Saturday) 2:00 PM
• Award Ceremony Location: Gallery Index (45 Insadong-gil, 3rd Floor / T. 02-722-6635)
• Creative Support Fund: ₩3,000,000
• Organizer: Monthly Question
• Contact: Monthly Question / Editor-in-Chief Min Byung-mo
■ Reason for Selection
Lee Kang-san is an exceptional photographer who does not simply view the space of 'Yeoinsook' (old Korean inns) as an object of record, but delves into the lives of its inhabitants, exploring the truth of human existence for an extended period. He captures the daily lives of individuals from the perspective of a resident and companion, not just an external observer, revealing social alienation and the tension of survival. His recent work, 『Yeoinsook 2 - The Time of Humans』, is particularly notable for its shift from black and white to color, maximizing the sense of time and space, and simultaneously portraying human dignity and tenacious vitality amidst a landscape of decline.
Above all, his photography succeeds in narrowing the 'distance of truth' through the relationship with the subject, while upholding the ethics of record and authenticity. This is a rare ethical practice in Korean documentary photography and an exemplary case of social reflection through photography. He expands the shrinking domain of documentary with his long-term 'Yeoinsook' project, conveying deep trust and camaraderie for human beings driven to their final living spaces.
Agreeing that Lee Kang-san's work is a valuable achievement that questions human dignity and the fundamental meaning of life, we select him as the winner of the 2nd Question Photography Award.
Selection Committee: Um Sang-bin, Lee Kyu-sang, Lee Il-woo
■ Winner's Biography
Born in Geumsan, Chungnam, 1958.
2021 Onbit Photography Award
2022 Budapest International Foto Awards (2022 BIFA) Bronze Prize (Book-Documentary category, 『Yeoinsook』 photobook).
7 Solo Exhibitions of Human Documentary Black and White Photography - 「Looking with the Heart」(2007. GALLERY Photo Class)
「Yeoinsook.2 - The Time of Humans」(2025. GALLERY Index).
2025 DAEJEON PHOTO - 「Cities & Humans」 Special Theme Exhibition and numerous group exhibitions.
Human Documentary Black and White Photobooks 『Yeoinsook』 (Noonbit, 2021), 『House - A Room on Earth』 (Photography Art Publishing, 2017).
Member of Onbit Documentary, Korean Writers Association.
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