FREE THE WORK
Photograph by Emanuel Hahn
Emanuel Hahn is one of 20 Fellows who were awarded the inaugural Image Equity Fellowship. Learn more here.
Jultagi (2023) by Emanuel HahnFREE THE WORK
Jultagi, a traditional Korean tightrope walking performance accompanied by witty dialogue, serves as a metaphor for the immigrant experience. The couple looks forward at their new destiny.
In America Fever, Emanuel Hahn intersects Korean cultural and historical elements with mythologies of the American West in an exploration of Korean American immigrant experiences in the 1970s. The title refers to citizens in postwar Korea who, inspired by the image of American culture, desired to immigrate to the US for a better life. Hahn’s staged scenes reflect the luster and romance of an American West coming out of the Hollywood age.
California Dreaming (2023) by Emanuel HahnFREE THE WORK
Many Koreans in the post-war era were inspired to move to the US because of presentations of an American way of life, involving pop culture, fast cars and fashion. Here, a young couple, newly immigrated to the United States, enjoys a taste of an idealized vision of Americana.
Inspired by artists such as Alex Prager and Gregory Crewdson, who created their own worlds through cinematic techniques, Hahn’s work reflects upon the duality America has to offer: a hopeful, yet potentially dangerous, future. “I wanted to do that for the Korean American community, depicting this specific time and place in our history that hasn’t really been seen or celebrated,” Hahn says.
Biker Gang (2023) by Emanuel HahnFREE THE WORK
Inspired by rebellious motorcycle gangs like the Hells Angels, this image portrays a group of young bikers out for a day of fun in the outskirts of Los Angeles.
One image from the series, Jultagi, references a historical Korean performance in which an entertainer tells witty stories while walking a tightrope. Hahn depicts a man dressed in Western clothes walking towards the camera, and his future, while a woman, dressed in traditional Korean attire, has her back turned, reflecting longingly on her past. “The tightrope acts as a metaphor for the immigrant experience,” says Hahn. “There’s no room for mistakes, but it’s also a performance.”
California Dreaming (2023) by Emanuel HahnFREE THE WORK
Many Koreans in the post-war era were inspired to move to the US because of presentations of an American way of life, involving pop culture, fast cars and fashion. Here, a young couple, newly immigrated to the United States, enjoys a taste of an idealized vision of Americana.
Editorial statement by Aperture.
California Dreaming (2023) by Emanuel HahnFREE THE WORK
Many Koreans in the post-war era were inspired to move to the US because of presentations of an American way of life, involving pop culture, fast cars and fashion. Here, a young couple, newly immigrated to the United States, enjoys a taste of an idealized vision of Americana.
Jultagi (2023) by Emanuel HahnFREE THE WORK
Jultagi, a traditional Korean tightrope walking performance accompanied by witty dialogue, serves as a metaphor for the immigrant experience. The man charges boldly towards his new destiny while the woman looks back longingly at what they've left behind.
Biker Gang (2023) by Emanuel HahnFREE THE WORK
Inspired by rebellious motorcycle gangs like the Hells Angels, this image portrays a group of young bikers out for a day of fun in the outskirts of Los Angeles.
Biker Gang (2023) by Emanuel HahnFREE THE WORK
Inspired by rebellious motorcycle gangs like the Hells Angels, this image portrays a group of young bikers out for a day of fun in the outskirts of Los Angeles.
Jumprope (2023) by Emanuel HahnFREE THE WORK
During the Korean War, many American soldiers married Korean women and bore children. Mixed children were often ostracized by both Koreans and Americans. This image shows an interracial family jumping rope, symbolizing hope and better days for the next generation.
Jumprope (2023) by Emanuel HahnFREE THE WORK
During the Korean War, many American soldiers married Korean women and bore children. Mixed children were often ostracized by both Koreans and Americans. This image shows an interracial family jumping rope, symbolizing hope and better days for the next generation.
Emanuel Hahn
Click below to see more work from this California-based image maker:
Web: emanuelhahn.com
IG: @hahnbo
Explore the other 2022 Image Equity Fellows’ final projects and learn more about the Fellowship here.
