"Artist"

Mono - Chapter 3

You spend an extra half-hour admiring the beautiful art before heading to the front of the building to meet Namjoon. He escorts you to his Mercedes SUV with a driver, and you head towards the gallery on a bright, sunny day. As you sit next to Namjoon in the car, feeling a little self-conscious, he asks if you're an artist. You reply that you just appreciate art. After three blocks, you arrive at the gallery with its black and white checkered floor and shiny black walls. Namjoon greets a young Korean woman with short blonde hair behind the front desk, who gives you a strange look.

You begin to feel nervous and wonder why Namjoon offered to show you around. Looking around, you notice articles, awards, and major magazines featuring Namjoon's photographs. You even read a Korean interview stating that Mr. Kim is an award-winning photographer with studios in Korea, Japan, and China, with plans to expand to the States.

While reading, you suddenly hear Namjoon's deep voice behind you. You turn to see him standing just three feet away, asking if you're ready for the personal tour. With a smirk and a tilt of his head, you notice the dimple on his left cheek that accentuates his smile. Feeling a little flushed, you agree to the tour.

As you step onto the Mono gallery's art floor through sleek black doors, you trail behind Namjoon. The walls are dark grey, and the lighting is dim—you'd hardly be able to see if not for the spotlights on the pictures. Namjoon shows you photos of yellow and blue flowers in a vast field. In this first section, he expresses his love for nature, taking a moment to appreciate its beauty. The next portion of the gallery features photos of trees, plants, oceans, deserts, and buildings. He points to a beach picture, mentioning it was taken in California during his U.S. trip. He also shows you a photo of a Californian desert. Lastly, he indicates a small corner with five photos taken in New York.

Namjoon asks, "Have you ever been to New York?"

"No, I've never been," you tell him.

"It's a beautiful city. The art and museums are amazing." As Namjoon walks over to the New York photos, you follow, listening to his commentary. "The first one is from Brooklyn, and the second is an old building in Queens. The third photo is of Stone Street in Manhattan, lined with restaurants and bars. I've been there during Christmas, but I didn't take any photos then. The fourth is the High Line—a trail that used to be train tracks above the city, now a walkway with greenery and skyline views."

You admire the photos: the Brooklyn Bridge with its skyline, old buildings with intricate architectural details, Stone Street's almost European brick buildings, and the High Line's unique urban greenway.

"Do you travel often, or is it mostly for work?" you ask, admiring Namjoon's fourth New York photo.

"I love to travel," he replies. "Sometimes it's for work, sometimes just for pleasure." As he walks away, you hear his footsteps and turn to follow. "Ready for the last section?" he asks, smiling and gesturing towards a nearby doorway.

Feeling more at ease now, you enter the final portion of his work, noticing it differs from the others. There are photos of people of various races, close-up shots of eyes, mouths, and hands, as well as modeling photos in different locations. You approach one featuring six men standing on a ledge facing water, with a sunset backdrop. "Those are my friends," Namjoon explains. "We went on a road trip a while ago, and I took some photos."

Next, you admire a photo of three girls—one white, one Black, and one Asian—smiling cheek to cheek. You reflect on its symbolic message of equality and beauty. Lost in thought, you don't notice Namjoon standing behind you until you turn and find him just a foot away. You step back as he comments on the photo, explaining that he saw the girls walking in New York and asked to capture their diversity. His ability to immortalize such a meaningful moment impresses you.

As Namjoon continues showing his photography, you grow curious about his subjects. You ask if he photographs people randomly or works with models and brands. Namjoon explains that he takes candid shots when inspired and permitted, but often photographs his friends. He also mentions collaborating with brands and models when possible. While admiring a close-up of an almost cat like shaped eye, you ask if it belongs to a man. Namjoon confirms it does, adding that it's one of his good friends—one of the six guys from the earlier photo. Then, intriguingly, he asks if he can show you something else, piquing your curiosity further.