On May 9, Gwangju Dong-gu announced that it will hold a special exhibition titled "May, a Time Made of Paper" to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the 5·18 Democratization Movement.
This exhibition will take place from May 12 to May 30 at the first-floor gallery of the Miro Center. It will feature 24 works, including paper dolls and shoes handcrafted by citizen artists, as well as individual pieces by artist Eom Jeongae.
The exhibition weaves together creative works and records to reflect on the pain of that day, expressing remembrance and commemoration. Visitors can see various forms of shoes such as sneakers, rubber shoes, and flower shoes, paper dolls symbolizing comfort for the spirits of citizens, and writings that document the month of May.
Artist Eom Jeongae said, "The ancestors (paper dolls) are beings who care for the spirits of 5·18, and gluing is akin to connecting moments in time," adding, "I participated with the intention of remembering that day and not letting it be forgotten."
Cultural planner Lim Ahyoung stated, "Gwangju’s May has saved us today. Attaching and applying the remarkable time of 2025 to the shoes, ancestors, and spirits that exist to remember 5·18 seems more like inevitability than coincidence," and added, "Perhaps what we are doing now is the act of the dead helping and saving the living, and the living expressing gratitude to them."
Dong-gu District Mayor Lim Taek said, "I hope this exhibition will provide an opportunity to reflect once again on the historical significance of 5·18, offering comfort and empathy for each other's pain," and added, "I wish for a warm May that we can remember together."
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