Born Vann Thomas Powell on May 28, 1988, in Raleigh, N.C. at Rex Hospital – Vann was happy and enjoyed his childhood; building forts made of fallen trees and chasing the ice cream man in the summers. Vann attended and graduated (2010) from Appalachian State University, where he completed a Bachelors’s degree in Philosophy. Immediately following the completion of his university studies, Vann leaves the United State for 6 years. Over the course of this six-year period Vann lived and worked in Prague, CZ, and Seoul, ROK. Returning to the U.S.A. in 2017, Vann began working as a freelance photographer while completing a certificate in documentary photography at Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies.
Some time ago, east of here.
Some time ago, east of here comes into being as a visual diary, observation notes and sketch of East Asia by way of Seoul. This series takes a look at daily rhythms in a world of concrete that never ends, where individuals are glued to their phones in transit and otherwise. Vann Powell examines technology and its place in a traditional and conservative yet dynamic East Asian culture. This strange intersection between traditional and the pulsing future sits at an intersection not all too unfamiliar with feelings of discord in the rest of the world.
To view more of Vann Powell’s work please visit his website.