What a coincidence
남현범이 포착한 계획된 우연
장서윤 (젤리스톤갤러리 전시팀장)
작가가 카메라 렌즈 너머로 거리를 구경하던 중, 빨간색 간판 상점 앞을 바쁘게 걸어가는 한 여자가 시야에 들어왔다. 셔터를 누를 것을 결심하고 실행에 옮기기까지는 1초도 걸리지 않았다. 작가도 여자도 예상하지 못했던, 그러나 그 시간에 그 장소에서 일어나도록 정해져 있던 계획된 우연은 그렇게 한 장의 사진으로 남겨졌다.
이렇게 사진가가 각자의 계획을 가지고 이동하는 사람들이 우연히 한 자리에 모인 장면을 포착하게 된다면 그 사진 속 상황은 그저 우연일까, 아니면 정해져 있던 일일까. 기회는 준비된 사람에게만 온다는 말처럼 늘 카메라를 들고 다니는 작가의 습관이 좋은 사진을 남기는 데 큰 영향을 준 것은 확실해 보인다. 그렇다면 많은 준비가 갖춰질수록 좋은 우연이 발생할 확률도 증가하는 것일까. 과연 좋은 우연의 기준이란 무엇일까. 뜻하지 않은 방향으로 흘러가곤 하는 것이 인생이긴 하지만 어떤 우연을 만나든 그것을 내가 어떻게 받아들여서 어떤 기회로 만들어 낼지는 전적으로 각자의 역할에 달려 있기 마련이지 않을까 생각해본다.
2010년 스트리트 패션 사진작가로 데뷔한 순간부터 남현범의 작업방식은 늘 우연한 상황을 순간포착 하는 방식으로 이루어져 왔다. 모든 사진은 작가를 포함한 어느 누구도 예상할 수 없었던, 자칫 인지하지 못하고 지나칠 수도 있었을 순간들을 담고 있다. 작가 스스로도 어느 시점에 어느 장소에 가면 좋은 사진을 찍을 수 있을지에 대한 예측은 결코 불가능하다고 말한다. 재미있는 점은 작가가 만족하는 사진들이 대부분 뜻하지 않게 일어난 우연들에 기인한 것이라 볼 수 있음에도 그것들이 소위 업계에서의 성공으로 이어져 왔다는 점이다. 작가는 그저 보기에 재미있는 우연이 포착되면 셔터를 누를 뿐 눈 앞에 펼쳐지는 상황들에 어떤 의미도 부여하지 않는다. 그리고 바로 다음 우연을 기다리는 상황으로 넘어간다. 그렇게 꾸준히 쌓아온 우연들이 모여 성공적인 결과로 드러난 상황조차 작가에게는 하나의 우연에 불과하다. 어쩌면, 무언가가 시선을 잡아 끌기 직전까지 작품에 대한 작가의 생각은 “큐레이터한테 또 잔소리 듣지 않으려면 오늘은 사진 좀 찍어야 되는데” 정도가 전부일지도 모르겠다.
그렇다고 남현범에게 아무 계획이 없었기 때문에 오히려 더 좋은 성과를 낼 수 있었다는 의미는 아니다. 존 크럼볼츠(John D. Krumboltz, 1929~2019)의 계획된 우연 이론(Planned Happenstance Theory)에 의하면, 예기치 못한 우연적 요인들은 인간의 진로형성에 있어 80%의 영향을 끼치며, 성공한 사람들은 자기에게 다가온 우연을 기회로 만든 사람들이다. 크롬볼츠는 우연적 사건이 기회로 바뀔 수 있는 가능성 때문에 단순히 우연이 아닌 계획된 우연이라는 단어를 사용했다고 한다. 그리고 우연들을 자신에게 유익한 것으로 만들기 위해서는 호기심, 인내심, 유연성, 낙관성, 위험감수성의 5가지 태도를 가져야 한다고 설명했다. 그렇다면 새로운 장소를 탐색하는 호기심, 셔터를 누를 타이밍을 기다리는 인내심, 피사체를 제한하지 않는 유연성, 일의 결과보다는 과정에서 즐거움을 찾는 낙관성, 안정적으로 자리잡은 패션계를 벗어나는 위험감수성이 내가 인지한 남현범 작가의 강점이었음을 감안했을 때, 어쩌면 그의 성공은 애초에 계획된 우연이라 해도 좋을 것이다.
작가약력
남현범(b.1985~)
개인전
| 2020 | What a coincidence, 젤리스톤, 서울 |
| 2017 | 남현범 사진전(HyunBum Nam Street Photography), 63아트갤러리, 서울 |
| 2016 | 남현범:Look Good, 구슬모아 당구장, 서울 |
| 2015 | 남현범 사진전, 라이카 스토어 강남, 서울 |
| Unique Street, 에비뉴엘 아트홀, 서울 | |
| 2013 | Street Fashion photography by 남작가, 캐논갤러리, 서울 |
| 2012 | The Connected Project 1st Theme : Nam’s Street Fashion Exhibition(Sponsored by TOD’S), 삼청동 정독도서관 돌담길, 서울 |
주요경력
| 2016~2018 | Art+Commerce Artist |
| 2015~2016 | VOGUE JAPAN Fashion Photographer |
| 2013~2015 | ELLE FRANCE Fashion Photographer |
| 2011~2013 | VOGUE Paris Fashion Photographer |
| PRADA, miu miu, FENDI, DIOR, TOD’s, MISSONI, H&M, UNICLO, TOPSHOP, LACOSTE, TIMBERLAND, JIL STUART, CLUB MONACO 등 광고촬영 다수 |
방송
| 2015 | EBS 다큐프라임(EBS) |
| 2014 | 도전!수퍼모델 코리아 GUYS&GIRLS(OnStyle) |
| 2013 | 패션의 신(OnStyle) |
| 2012~2013 | 스타일로그:남작가의 Hello패피(OnStyle)) |
| 2012 | 백지연의 피플 INSIDE(tvN) |
| 도전!수퍼모델 코리아((OnStyle)) |
출판
| 2018 | LOOK GOOD BOOK, 1984 |
| 2015 | 패션위크(FASHION WEEK:Portrait Edition), 1984 |
| 2011 | STREET FSN:길 위에서 당신을 만나다, 중앙북스 |
기타활동
| 2017 | 네스카페 크레마 아티스트 콜라보(with 타그트라움) |
| 2015 | ‘더 메디치 2015’ 작품협찬 및 토크콘서트 출연 |
Planned Happenstance Captured by Nam Hyun Bum
Seoyoon Chang (Jellystone gallery Exhibition Team Manager)
# While the photographer browsing the street through the camera lens, he spotted a woman scurrying while passing by a store with red signage. It took him less than one second to decide to shoot and to click the shutter. Neither the photographer nor the woman expected the encounter. However, it was planned happenstance that meant to happen at that time at the place. The moment is now left as a photo.
Is it a coincidence or a destiny when a photographer captures a group of people in a photo who are in one place coincidently but at each scheduled plan of their own? As the saying “All things come to those who wait,” the photographer’s habit of bringing cameras everywhere obviously greatly assisted him in seizing those moments in photos. That says, is it really the more you wait the greater the chance for a good happenstance? What is a good happenstance? It is needless to say that the life flows as it may wish to flow, but I think it is on the hand of each individual to accept and challenge whatever coincidences the one encounter to make it as opportunities.
Nam Hyun Bum debuted in 2010 as a street fashion photographer. Capturing the moment of coincidence has always been Nam’s work style. All the photos he takes seize a moment that no one, not even the photographer himself, anticipated. Nam says that it is impossible to predict a specific place that would give him just the right scenes to capture. The interesting thing is that most of Nam’s favorite photos come from happenstance and still, the series of happenstances lead to one success and another for Nam. Nam just clicks the camera shutter when he finds interesting encounters in front of his lens and he does not give particular meaning to those scenes. He simply moves on to the next coincidence awaiting for him. All these haps stack up to be one great success but that path also is just mere coincidence. Perhaps, all Nam thinks about before he spots a scene to seize might be “I should shoot some photos today to avoid nagging of the curator.”
I am not saying the un-planning accidentally trapped Nam into a successful result. According to the Planned Happenstance Theory by John D. Krumboltz (1929-2019), unanticipated coincidences take up 80% of people’s lives, and people who successfully make the coincidences as their opportunities. Krumboltz uses the term “Planned Happenstance” because of the possibility that the happenstance may turn into opportunities for some people. To make the happenstances as their own, people should face them with 5 attitudes: curiosity, patience, flexibility, optimism, and risk-taking. What I found to be Nam’s strengths; the curiosity to explore the new venue, the patience before clicking the shutter, the flexibility in choosing the objects to shoot without limitation, the optimism in enjoying the course of the work and not only the result and the risk-taking by stepping out of his comfort zone, in which the field of fashion. His attitudes contributed to Nam’s success as his own planned happenstance theory.
This year is the 10th anniversary of Nam’s debut as a photographer. He untied himself from his previous studies and valued every second of the happenstances. And that has led him where he is today. For a happenstance to become something tangible, it has to have various factors such as people, objects, memories of the scenes, stereotype, information of the incident, and Nam’s photo contains them all. For him, taking photos means boldly facing the moment of happenstances he encounters every day endlessly. When he looks back, all the dots are connected to one complete causality. The lexical definition of happenstance is an incidence without any causality. So, Nam’s photo may not be so perfect fit for the lexical meaning of happenstance. Nonetheless, we still perceive his photos as naturally seized moments because everyone expects something tangible when they hear the words happenstance.
I met Nam in five years in April. When we were saying good-bye, he told me he would stroll around the area of Hakdong Station just because he is here while a hand-stained camera without case hanging in his neck. On my way back to the office, I was, without noticing, humming “Still Dream” by Autumn Vacation.
“Strolling should never have a set destination.
We always just walk wherever it would take us to go.
We may encounter one or visit a place just b’cause.
Without a plan or strings attached to it, we just move on.”
We live in a world where setting targets, making plans, and putting efforts for successes are the norms of life and where aimless walking is often perceived as unproductive. Nevertheless, there is got to be other ways to live like clicking your life on and off by only listening to your heart. That is why I only wish the best for Nam’s next click. While getting ready for this exhibition, I wondered how all these happenstances will become a complete plan in the end. “What a coincidence!” is meaningful for both Jellystone and the photographer, as it is the opening exhibition of Jelleystone and the first introduction of Nam’s new collection to the public. I sincerely hoped this exhibition to bring something special planned happenstance to Nam’s career. But I also thought this could be just one of many passerby coincidences he encounters. Thoughts collided and I was left without a conclusion.
Artist CV
Hyunbum Nam (b.1985~)
Solo Exhibition
| 2020 | What a Coincidence, Jellystone, Seoul, Korea |
| 2017 | HyunBum Nam Street Photography, 63 Art Gallery, Seoul, Korea |
| 2016 | HyunBum Nam:Look Good, D Project Space Guseulmoa, Seoul, Korea |
| 2015 | Hyumbum Nam Photo Exhibition, Leica Store Gangnam, Seoul, Korea |
| Unique Street, Avenuel Art Hall, Seoul, Korea | |
| 2013 | Street Fashion photography by Nam, Cannon Gallery, Seoul, Korea |
| 2012 | The Connected Project 1st Theme : Nam’s Street Fashion Exhibition(Sponsored by TOD’S), Jeongdok Public Library Stone Wall, Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Korea |
Major Careers
| 2016~2018 | Art + Commerce Artist |
| 2015~2016 | VOGUE JAPAN Fashion Photographer |
| 2013~2015 | ELLE FRANCE Fashion Photographer |
| 2011~2013 | VOGUE Paris Fashion Photographer |
| PRADA, MIUMIU, FENDI, DIOR, TOD’s, MISSONI, H&M, UNICLO, TOPSHOP, LACOSTE, TIMBERLAND, JIL STUART, CLUB MONACO and more. |
Broadcasting
| 2015 | EBS Docuprime (EBS) |
| 2014 | Korea’s Next Top Model GUYS & GIRLS (OnStyle) |
| 2013 | God of Fashion (OnStyle) |
| 2012-2013 | Style Log: Nam’s Hello Fashion People (OnStyle) |
| 2012 | Paik Jiyeon’s People INSIDE (tvN) |
| Korea’s Next Top Model (OnStyle) |
Others
| 2017 | NESCAFÉ Crema Artist Collaboration (with Tagtraum) |
| 2015 | ‘THE MEDICI 2015’ Sponsorship & Guest on Talk Show |
