Photo courtesy of Jaegeun Park
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Jaegeun Park is an acclaimed photographer and visual artist who recently presented some of his work at the “Beyond the Surface” photography exhibition in New York.
Park has a background in Film and Video Production from New York University, and has explored the world through photography, cinematography, and graphic design. The solo photographic exploration of “Beyond the Surface” is one of the most reflective experiences of how Park has always viewed life, before seeing it through the lens.
Inspiration in everyday moments
Growing up, a curious Park found himself drawn to fleeting moments that others often overlooked. Daylight dancing on a quiet street grasped his gaze, and the expression of a passing stranger would capture his attention. It was the subtle harmony in everyday life that became his earliest subjects. Over time, these little moments became a big influence, driving the purpose behind his visual storytelling.
Park’s values are grounded in his firm belief that storytelling, especially through visual media, can be a force for empathy, understanding, and change. He uses his art, in every medium, to amplify marginalized voices and highlight overlooked perspectives. Park’s goal is to ignite dialogue and stir emotions with what he creates to begin building a bridge between communities. What sets his work apart is more than technical proficiency; it’s an authentic commitment to social consciousness and cultural resonance.
Capturing the little things
With “Beyond the Surface,” Park demonstrated his creativity and cause. The exhibition was a solo photographic exploration of the world’s quiet, often unnoticed movements and patterns. It challenged the viewer to move beyond surface-level perception to engage with texture, rhythm, and form, all found in nature.
Ripples, wind-swept grass, and shadows cast from trees were captured in the series, revealing beauty in what is typically dismissed. Each photograph aimed to cultivate mindfulness and introspection, encouraging audiences to slow down and embrace the elegance embedded in the everyday environment.
“Beyond the Surface” was positively received by visitors who shared that they were inspired to pay more attention to the little things in their daily lives.
Overcoming challenges
While “Beyond the Surface” encompasses Park’s creative nature, he has had to overcome challenges along the way. For Park, it has proved to be challenging to create coherent topics and build narratives that make sense. Things become trickier when a story involves more than one character, as it is harder to find a shared theme that ties everything together.
Recently, Park had the opportunity to work with YEON, a luxury high-end brand based in New York. When he first received a proposal to collaborate on an exhibition, Park struggled to find similarities between his photography and YEON’s identity. He spent several weeks reflecting on both of their identities, searching for a sensible way to merge the two industries, photography and fashion, in a way that would resonate with the audience.
While researching YEON, Park discovered the brand’s creative connection to repetitive and intriguing patterns. Fascinated by patterns seen in everyday life, he found a connection through patterns and textures that are captured in both fashion and photography.
It was through this that Park developed the theme for “Beyond the Surface.” The exploration of patterns allowed visitors to pay more attention to everyday details that often go unnoticed in their daily lives and find a new appreciation for meaningful connections.
Value-driven creativity
Park views every visual project as a chance to contribute something meaningful to the cultural landscape. Through documentary-style photography and conceptual design pieces, he has provided space for narratives to exist.
Across various industries, including fashion and the military, he has used photography, film, and design to connect and transform. Following his values of inclusivity, empathy, and truth, Park applies his skills to share and tell stories that matter and inspire action.
Multidisciplinary impact
Park’s purposeful bodies of work have earned him recognition in the art space.
In January, Park was awarded third place in the international Photocrowd ‘Landscapes’ Photography Contest. His work stood out for its use of natural light and layered depth, conveying both the grandeur and intimacy of the natural world.
Park was an All-Access Photographer for New York Fashion Week in 2023, gaining full backstage and runway access to document fashion collections, behind-the-scenes moments, and audience reactions. His body of work blended documentary realism with high-fashion aesthetics.
In Film, he was nominated at the New Vision & Voice Film Festival for his short documentary “Church for the Next Generation.” As director, editor, and cinematographer, he crafted a powerful representation of Korean-American Christian identity in a multicultural context.
Park was additionally nominated at the Music for Film & TV Showcase for excellence in integrating visual storytelling with original and licensed music. His featured audiovisual project reflected his holistic approach to storytelling, demonstrating how sound and image can equally magnify narrative tone, pacing, and intensity.
Through photography, film, and design, Park doesn’t just capture what we see. Instead, he invites us to feel what we often miss. With every piece, this storyteller’s work celebrates beauty in ordinary life. Park believes these everyday fragments hold extraordinary power, and by capturing them, he awards us space to pause, reflect, and see the world through a more compassionate lens.
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