Visual ASMR by Vostok Press

exclusive distributor outside of South Korea

discontinued / arrêté

VOSTOK PRESS is an independent publishing house based in Seoul. Korea. It publishes a bimonthly photography magazine, VOSTOK, and books on arts and photography. VOSTOK PRESS organizes exhibitions and events, directs lectures and workshops. It also carries out projects for institutions and private companies.

How do images of the here and now live on?

This special issue explores today’s visual landscape—photographs, graphics that resemble photographs, and photographs that resemble graphics. In our daily encounters online and on social media, we are increasingly faced with images in which the boundary between photography and graphic design has become indistinct. The issue brings together a diverse range of photographic works that engage with this contemporary visual phenomenon—where photography and graphics mimic, merge, and circulate together—alongside critical essays by eight critics who analyze and reflect on these images.

The ecology and terrain of contemporary images

ASMR is a term that refers to sensory experiences—primarily auditory—that induce psychological calm or pleasure. Familiar examples include the gentle sound of flowing water, the clear calls of birds or insects, or the crisp, crunchy sounds made while cooking or eating food. Conversely, unfamiliar sounds tend to make people feel tense or anxious, which is precisely why music and sound design play such a crucial role in horror films.

Yet ASMR sound sources usually exist quite clearly in our everyday reality, even though we rarely hear them with the same clarity or intensity as ASMR recordings. This is unsurprising: ASMR amplifies specific sounds through audio equipment, inevitably making them different from how they occur in real life. Real sounds are mixed with various kinds of noise and are generally much quieter. What is intriguing, however, is that once we become accustomed to ASMR, real sounds can begin to feel less vivid than before. As a result, when we bite into some chips and fail to hear that exaggerated, explosive crunch, we may find ourselves inexplicably disappointed.

Visual ASMR, Vostok Press. South Korea, Septembre 2021.