E2024-G098

Minjung Art Forms: Woodcuts

Narrative

In the heart of Gwangju, a city scarred yet resilient, the echoes of May 1980 resound through the strokes and lines of Minjung Art. The woodcut prints, or "panhwa," birthed from this era, capture the spirit of resistance that defined the May 18 Democratic Uprising. This artistic movement, celebrated in the "May Woodcut Prints" collection, immortalizes the courage of citizens who stood against oppression. Central to this narrative is the May 18 Democratic Uprising, an event etched in history as a pivotal struggle for democracy against the military regime led by Chun Doo-hwan. This uprising is intricately linked to "Minjung Art," a concept of art deeply rooted in people's struggles, with woodcuts as its expressive medium. The most representative among them were curated by the Catholic Diocese's Justice and Peace Committee as the "Citizens Woodcut Collection" in 1986. Among them include works by Hong Seong-dam, a renowned artist, is celebrated for his poignant woodcuts depicting the uprising, such as his piece, "Haetbul haengjin" (Torchlight March). The importance of these works were recognized by the Japanese artist Tomiyama Taeko (1921-2021), who promoted them in her activism against imperialism in East Asia. This story of art and resistance is also preserved by figures like Ha Jung-woong, a Korean-Japanese art collector, who, in 2002, donated over 200 pieces of Hong Seong-dam's woodcuts to the Gwangju Museum of Art, ensuring that the legacy of courage and creativity endures for future generations to witness.