Master Photographer Gu Bon-chang Finally Gets 7-Year Permission to Photograph Silla Gold Crowns
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
Renowned Korean photographer Gu Bon-chang discussed his long effort to photograph ancient Silla gold crowns at an exhibition in Daegu. After seven years of requests to museums, he received permission in 2023 and prepared extensively, buying a replica crown and testing backgrounds and paper (종이) to capture the crowns’ texture and history. Instead of dark backdrops, he used gold-colored paper to enhance reflection, and added subtle soil-like tones to evoke the crowns’ time underground. A tense moment occurred when the ornate Cheonmachong crown’s fittings splayed open due to age; staff used fishing line to stabilize it during the shoot. Gu said he was most moved by the simple, small Geumryeongchong crown without jade, and aimed to show how only objects remain after people and power fade. The exhibition includes a large, non-sale catalog from the National Gyeongju Museum and runs through March 8.
