SEOUL

In Seoul, Korea, photographer Traianos Pakioufakis turns his attention to the South Korean capital, continuing a practice shaped by close observation of places, surfaces and details. Working across photography, architecture, fashion and design, Pakioufakis often isolates elements from a larger scene, creating images that invite a slower, more considered way of looking. Rather than overwhelming the viewer with information, his photographs leave space for the subject to speak for itself.

Pakioufakis is drawn to the unpredictable qualities of the world around him. In his work, light, weather, texture and the changing conditions of a place all contribute to the final image. He has described how a familiar walk can reveal new compositions from one moment to the next, whether in the shape of a tree, the movement of the ocean or the shadows cast across a surface. This attention to everyday surroundings informs his approach to photographing the built environment as well as the natural landscape.

Architecture and abstract forms have an important place in Pakioufakis’s photographic practice. His images often focus on details that might otherwise be overlooked, drawing attention to the relationship between shape, texture and light. By isolating a particular element from its wider setting, he transforms a larger scene into a more concentrated composition, allowing the viewer to notice qualities that might not be immediately apparent.

Pakioufakis has spoken about his preference for giving photographs room to breathe. Negative space and relatively small print formats have often been central to how he presents his work, creating an intimate viewing experience rather than an image designed to command attention from a distance. He hopes viewers will pause, look more closely and spend time with the photograph. This restrained approach places emphasis on the image itself and the personal connection it can create.

Alongside his independent work, Pakioufakis has collaborated with creatives across music, fashion and design. One of his ongoing collaborations has been with MAN-TLE, the clothing label founded by Larz Harry and Aida Kim. For the brand’s campaigns, photography plays an important role in communicating its interest in material, texture and form. The collaboration reflects a shared attention to the qualities of objects and the environments around them, with Pakioufakis’s images helping establish the label’s visual identity.

Based on the photographic series Seoul, Korea, the project brings Pakioufakis’s observational approach to the urban environment of South Korea’s capital. It sits within a wider practice that moves between cities, landscapes and creative disciplines, guided by an interest in finding beauty in particular details rather than presenting a place through a single defining image. Through careful framing and a measured use of space, Seoul, Korea invites viewers to look beyond the familiar idea of a city and spend time with the forms and moments that make up its visual character.