​FEDERICO HURTH

UNTITLED  SEOUL

17 JUNE – 31 JULY

Federico Hurth

The journey ends in Moon Village, the poorest and most degraded district of the metropolis. This cluster of rudimentary houses, surrounded by public housing buildings, is called the "moon village" because it seems alien and detached from a reality completely different from that of Seoul City.

From here come and here live most of the beggars, homeless, humble people, who every morning head into the heart of the urban jungle to face the day and the life they are subjected to. Streets became a photographer's canvas, and his lens became a conduit for the stories of the marginalised and the overlooked. He documented the struggles and triumphs of life, illuminating the resilience of those often forgotten by society. 
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Federico works with analogue film, whose imperfections and unpredictability become integral elements of his visual language, transforming his photographs into raw, unfiltered glimpses into the souls of his subjects. 

Serene Gallery presents a series of photographs from Federico Hurth's personal project on Seoul's hidden neighbourhoods. The exhibition opens on 17th of June.

​Born in Lugano (1998), Federico Hurth grew up between the serene landscapes of Lugano and the pulsating rhythm of Milan. As a teenager he found solace and inspiration in the eclectic tapestry of everyday life, embracing the chaos and beauty that coexisted in the urban landscape. This deep connection to the streets laid the foundation for his distinctive photographic style. His series include the streets of Los Angeles and Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and Scampia. Travelling the world, he gives a powerful voice to the silent stories through his lens, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary.

This time he takes us to Seoul – the capital of South Korea, a symbol of global autonomy, self-sufficiency, prosperity, discipline, cleanliness, education and a very high quality of life. This applies to 90% of the city, but a small part remains almost isolated from all this perfection. In his photographic journey, Federico Hurth focuses on these parts of the city, showing Seoul's secret life, hidden from the public eye. Fishermen, merchants, elderly people who, for a few WON, invent trades and lifestyles that seem almost archaic.