A solo exhibition by British artist Paul Gadd, titled "We, Ephemeral | 우리, 찰나의 존재들," will be held at Gallery Space 22 in Seoul from April 9 to April 24, 2025.

The exhibition presents Gadd’s meticulously crafted analog photography, inviting viewers to reflect on humanity’s fleeting presence on Earth. Through his work, he poses a fundamental question: What moments in our brief existence truly deserve to be preserved?

Gadd’s photography rejects the instantaneity of digital media, instead embracing the slow, deliberate process of traditional darkroom development. His images require hours of careful composition, exposure, and manual processing, transforming latent visuals into tangible works of art.

His technique includes dodging, burning, and toning, creating photographs that mirror the passage of time within their subject matter. The deliberate imperfections and variations inherent in his handcrafted silver gelatin prints stand in contrast to the uniformity and infinite reproducibility of digital images. This approach underscores Gadd’s ongoing exploration of transience and permanence—as well as the human urge to capture and preserve fleeting moments in an ever-changing world.

The exhibition highlights political and social moments, personal revelations, and overlooked scenes of daily life, emphasizing how everything is in a constant state of emergence and disappearance. In today’s digital age, where images can be censored, forgotten, or vanish into the void of digital oblivion, Gadd’s work raises essential questions about memory, preservation, and significance.

Critics have recognized his photography as existing at the intersection of documentary and fine art, praising the meditative quality of his silver gelatin prints—an element rarely found in contemporary image-making.

The exhibition will include an opening reception on April 12 (3–7 PM KST) and an artist talk on April 16 (5:30 PM KST), providing visitors with deeper insights into Gadd’s artistic philosophy and techniques.

Through this decade-spanning collection, Gadd encourages viewers to contemplate their ephemeral nature and reconsider what is truly worth preserving in humanity’s brief 0.5-second existence in Earth’s timeline.

Sayart / Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com