'May Gwangju' Returns from Paris... May 18 Archives Exhibition Opens Again in Gwangju

The exhibition of records on the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, which was first unveiled in Paris, France, is returning to Gwangju to welcome local citizens. The May 18 Democratization Movement Archives and the Cultural Heritage Administration announced on April 28 that, in commemoration of the 46th anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement, the special exhibition 'Gwangju 5·18: Urban Identity and Democracy' will be held from May 1 to August 16 in the special exhibition hall on the third floor of the Archives.

This exhibition has been organized based on the achievements of the exhibition of the same name held last year at Gustave Eiffel University in Paris, France. The contents of the previous exhibition have been newly restructured for a domestic audience, highlighting, through documentary photographs and videos, the spirit of communal solidarity and the defense of democracy demonstrated by Gwangju citizens in May 1980.

The exhibition focuses on sharing with citizens the historical significance of the May 18 Democratization Movement as a turning point in the development of Korean democracy and as a universal democratic value. It is designed to revisit the contemporary relevance of Gwangju in May 1980 through historical records.

'Gwangju 5·18: Urban Identity and Democracy' Special Exhibition Web Poster. Provided by Gwangju City

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The exhibition features 92 documentary photographs and 6 videos. Among these, more than 80 items are registered as UNESCO Memory of the World, with the core of the collection being photographs taken by Korean photojournalists such as Na Kyung-taek, Lee Chang-sung, and Shin Bok-jin, who documented the events as they unfolded. The exhibition also includes records and impactful footage shot by international journalists such as Patrick Chauvel, Fran?ois Lochon, Norman Knute Sof, and Robin Moyer, as well as edited clips discovered by the May 18 Democratization Movement Archives, and footage by J?rgen Hinzpeter.

The exhibition is organized around seven themes tracing the progression of May 18: 'Protest,' 'Suppression,' 'Uprising,' 'Resistance,' 'Massacre,' 'Mourning,' and 'Photographers.' The 'Protest' section documents the rise of democratization demands and peaceful assemblies that spread after 1979, while the 'Suppression' section records the violence that erupted following the deployment of martial law troops on May 18 and the responses of the citizens.

The 'Uprising' section details the course of the protests, including vehicle demonstrations and mass shootings. The 'Resistance' section shines a light on the community solidarity shown by Gwangju citizens, such as sharing rice balls and blood donations, as they endured isolation. The 'Massacre' section addresses the horrors of state violence following the re-entry of martial law troops and contemplates the meaning of sacrifice. The 'Mourning' section focuses on the commemoration of the victims and the process of passing on their memory. The final 'Photographers' section introduces the documentary work of both domestic and international journalists who recorded these events.

Kim Hokyun, Director of the May 18 Democratization Movement Archives, stated, "This exhibition was planned to revisit the meaning of democracy today through the records of solidarity and sacrifice shown by Gwangju citizens in May 1980," adding, "I hope this will provide an opportunity for visitors to reflect on both the historical value of Gwangju's records and the significance of democracy."

In connection with this exhibition, an academic seminar titled 'The History and Archive of May 18 Documentary Photos: Image, Testimony, Memory' will be held on May 8, and throughout May, special screenings of films related to May 18 will also take place.

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