Commemorating History and Collective Memory in South Korea

Yewon Park, the leader of this Action and curator at the National Asia Culture Center, has been interested in JR's work for some time, especially after seeing the MUCA collection and his exhibition at the Lotte Museum in Korea. She found the “Inside Out Project” particularly fascinating, with its concept of bringing inner stories to the surface by displaying large-scale black-and-white portraits in public spaces. She was also intrigued by how the project offers two distinct approaches: one where local groups can independently carry out their own “group actions” using the provided manual, and another where the Inside Out team travels to different cities and meets diverse citizens through dynamic “Photobooth Actions.” The idea of collaborating with the Inside Out team on such an energetic photobooth action seemed like a great opportunity to create something meaningful together.

Two people looking at the installation. 

Gwangju residents were invited to step into a Photobooth hidden in a modular office container and strike a pose. Within seconds, the portrait comes out printed in a larger-than-life format. Secondly, participants were given the option to sit in an audio recording room and share personal stories related to the former Jeollanam-do Provincial Office, the ACC, and other aspects of the history of Gwangju. Their faces and voices filled the surface of the four-meter-tall temporary fence erected for the restoration of the former Jeollanam-do Provincial Office, transforming the construction site into a mosaic of faces commemorating history.

Two women recording a message in the recording room.

The ACC was built on the site of the Gwangju-eupseong Fortress, destroyed during the Japanese occupation, and the former Jeollanam-do Provincial Office, which served as the last stronghold in the May 18 Democratization Movement. As such, it is an important “site” symbolizing the modern history of Korea. Currently, the ACC occupies the site of the former Jeollanam-do Provincial Office — through this progression of new buildings replacing the old, traces of the past that had occupied the site were erased. People, too, forgot about the events and incidents that had left these traces. The ACC, in line with its founding philosophy to “artistically sublimate the significance of democracy, human rights, and peace,” is currently working to restore the traces of the former Jeollanam-do Provincial Office, partially damaged when the center opened in November 2015, and create a site that recalls past events and memories.

Korean citizens, especially those in Gwangju, are generally very reserved. Many people hesitated at the thought of having their portrait printed at almost four times the size of their actual face. This made it challenging to start the action initially. However, as more participants' portraits were displayed on the construction site fence and people began to find their voice, more individuals started gathering naturally. Many who understood the purpose of the project and found the courage to participate also joined. By the final weekend, people were lining up to take part, and when asked, they even mentioned that they enjoyed the waiting time.

Picture of the installation.

Through the Action with the Inside Out Project Team, Park wanted to convey the importance of "building layers of memories" rather than erasing the past, which is often filled with sacrifices and tears. While history and memories may fade with time, she believes that even painful memories can be remembered not only with sadness, but also with courage, joy, laughter, collaboration, and solidarity. This project was a meaningful way to express that idea.

The ACC (Asia Culture Center) features two prominent plazas. The first is the May 18 Democracy Plaza, which adjoins the former Jeollanam-do Provincial Office—now the Center for Democracy and Peace Exchange—a space resonant with the memory of the May 18 Gwangju Uprising and where diverse community events are held. This plaza is directly connected to the city and its civic life. The second is the Asian Culture Plaza, a sunken space situated underground. To preserve the historical memory of the May 18 Gwangju Uprising, the ACC retained the former Jeollanam-do Provincial Office and Provincial Police Headquarters, while new cultural facilities were constructed underground. By integrating the concept of a "yard," the ACC created a new kind of plaza where Asian cultures intermingle and the public can gather in the Asian Culture Plaza.

People waiting for their portrait to be printed.

The visual relationship between these two spaces is significant: the historic structures gaze down upon the Asian Culture Plaza and its visitors, while the plaza’s visitors look up at these landmarks of the past, fostering a mutual awareness and connection. This spatial arrangement is effective in evoking collective memories. The Inside Out Project bridges the two plazas by wrapping the former South Jeolla Provincial Office’s construction fence with portraits of Gwangju citizens, as part of the project titled Inside Out Project–Gwangju. This installation, completed with 860 portraits, reflects a commitment to building upon the past rather than erasing it, and reinforces the ACC’s role as a space open to all, rather than a place of selective historical ownership. By revealing the truth instead of forgetting, ignoring, or hiding it, the participants aim to subvert a world where it is difficult to address problems despite the strange things that happen.

The land on which the National Asian Culture Center (ACC) is located holds many untold stories. The first participant of the Inside Out Project – Gwangju is Mr. Jung Yong-guk. In the exhibition, there is an artwork that uses discarded materials from the restoration work of the former Jeollanam-do Provincial Office as its medium. During the process of collecting the discarded materials, we met a man who shared a precious story with us, which gave us inspiration. He was a third-year student at Chungjang Middle School 44 years ago when he witnessed the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement and joined the procession of citizens resisting the brutal suppression by the martial law forces. He said he was near the former Jeollanam-do Provincial Office right after the military’s mass shooting on May 21, 1980. At the time, 67 people, accounting for 40% of the total death toll of 166 during the May 18 uprising, lost their lives in the mass shooting.

Picture of the Photobooth and the installation at the back.

Mr. Jung recalled that after the shooting, he hid behind a young man in his twenties who was holding a carbine rifle near a utility pole close to Jungang Elementary School. Moments later, the young man was shot in the back and was taken to the hospital. Mr. Jung said, “The young man who was shot was a stranger, and I still don’t know whether he survived.” He added, “The gunfire has left me with lifelong nightmares, and I haven’t been able to talk about it to anyone.”

Mr. Jung further shared, “Later, during my military service, I learned that the young man had been targeted by a sniper. After 44 years, I’ve finally been able to reveal the truth and lighten the burden on my heart.” He reflected that because he was wearing his school uniform at the time, he might have been spared from further sniper fire, for which he feels a strange sense of gratitude. He also expressed hope that the sniper would gather the courage to come forward and make a confession.

Process of gluing the portraits.

Mr. Jung added, “When I was young, someone who participated in the democratization movement was shot in front of me, and I have carried a sense of guilt for not being able to testify on their behalf. For many years, I couldn’t bring myself to visit the ACC, which is near the old Jeonnam Provincial Office. When the ACC contacted me, asking me to collect debris from the restoration work on the old provincial office and participate in the exhibition, I reluctantly agreed. Only today, by coming here, do I realize how fortunate I am to live in Gwangju, where so many people have fought for the democratization of South Korea.

Tune in and listen to participants’ voices here!

Picture of the installation from a high view.

Curator: Yewon Park
Curatorial assistant: Dayeon Lee
Technician team: Min-guk Kim, Geun-young Cheon, Ju-hyuk Lee, Jae-hee Choi, Yujin Jeong, Jong-su Ha, Bok-eum Yoo
Photography: Sa-yoon Kim
Filming: Jae-young Park, Kwang-sik Jeon
Promotion: Eun-joo Kim, Seung-hyun Lim, Sun-woo Kim, Ga-eun Kim, Se-in Kim, Da-hye Kim, Ki-ho Song
Volunteers: Yoo-jung Kim, Ji-hyun Myung, Soo-jin Yang, Ji-hye Yoo, Jung-yeon Lee, Chae-yeon Lee, Ha-hyun Lim, , Yang-yoon Jang, Da-jung Choi, Eun-sung Choi, Sung-woo Wi