'May 18 Photo Special Exhibition' at Gustave Eiffel University
Opening on September 26, running through October 14
Featuring over 90 photographs and videos, highlighting the spirit of May 18
The city of Gwangju announced on September 21 that it will hold the 'Gwangju May 18th Photo Special Exhibition' at Gustave Eiffel University in Paris, France, from September 26 to October 14, in commemoration of the 45th anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement.
This exhibition is co-hosted by the May 18 Democratization Movement Archives and Gustave Eiffel University, with support from the Gwangju Film and Video Alliance. Under the theme 'Gwangju May 18: Urban Identity and Democracy-Photo Archive of the Korean People's Uprising in May 1980,' the event will showcase more than 90 photographs and video records documenting the entire course of the 1980 uprising.
The works on display were captured by both Korean and international photographers-including Shin Bokjin, Jang Jaeyeol, Choi Byungo, Kim Youngbok, Henry, Cho Sangki, Norman Thorpe, Robin Moyer, Fran?ois Lochon, and Patrick Chauvel-as well as journalists from Gwangju Ilbo, Hankook Ilbo, and Kyunghyang Shinmun. Most of these materials are valuable records listed as UNESCO Memory of the World heritage.
The exhibition is organized into six sections: Protest, Suppression, Uprising, Resistance, Massacre, and Mourning, along with a special section highlighting the photographers who documented the uprising. Through this structure, the exhibition spotlights the struggle and sacrifice of Gwangju citizens who defended democracy in the face of violent suppression by the new military regime, as well as the spirit of solidarity within the urban community.
Accompanying events include a May 18 film screening (September 30 and October 7) featuring the documentary 'Kim Gun' and the short films 'Yangnim-dong Girl' and 'It's Okay,' as well as a roundtable discussion on the historical significance of documentary photography. The roundtable will feature French foreign correspondents who covered the events at the time and Korean researchers, who will share their vivid experiences.
Thierry Bongjon, professor at Gustave Eiffel University, and Kim Hee-rang, head researcher at the May 18 Democratization Movement Archives-who co-organized the exhibition-stated, "This exhibition will serve as an opportunity to reflect on the universal value of May 18 documentary photographs in an era when democracy is under threat," and added, "We hope it will be a chance to widely introduce the Korean democratization movement, which has not been well known to the French public."
Kim Hokyun, director of the May 18 Democratization Movement Archives, commented, "This exhibition, held in Paris, a global city of human rights, is a meaningful occasion to share the history of Korean democracy and the urban identity of Gwangju with the world," adding, "We hope it will help spread the universal values of democracy and human rights."
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