The Democratization Movement as Seen through Art: Minjung Art

Narrative

Minjung art, or "people's art," emerged during the 1970s and 1980s as part of the Korean democracy movement. Critical of authoritarianism and emphasizing community resistance, the movement aimed to be a kind of art that was for everyone, regardless of class. Artists collectives formed the core of the movement, including Reality and Utterance and the Association of Gwangju Freedom Artists, while popular artforms included hanging paintings (geolgae geurim) and woodcut printings (panhwa). In particular, the May 18 Democratic Uprising, which took place in Gwangju in 1980, became a catalyst that further sparked the movement.