From Gwanghwanmoon to Civic Center: Exhibiting Korean Protest Art in Denver

In the wake of the 30^th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests, “Counter Art: Aesthetics of South Korean Activism” will open in Denver, Colorado, in October 2019, as the first exhibit in the U.S. to examine the visual legacy of the 2016 South Korean Candlelight Struggle. “Counter Art” will feature works of art created and employed during this series of peaceful anti-government protests in Gwanghwanmoon Square that led to the impeachment and trial of president Park Geun-hye. To be held at RedLine Art, a notable non-profit art space in the historic Five Points neighborhood in central Denver, the exhibit will include the work of both professional artists and regular Korean citizens moved to use art as a tool for socio-political change. This presentation will examine the intersection of South Korean history, East Asian politics, and visual traditions that gave form to the ephemeral and permanent works of art engendered by the Gwanghwanmoon protests. It will also analyze the response of Denver audiences to global affairs through the lens of contemporary Asian art and current events. With a growing Asian American population and host to one of the largest turnouts of the 2017 Women’s March, another protest with ricocheting political impact, Denver is the unexpected but suitable site for this exhibit. The widespread protests and creative participation that took place in South Korea offer a case study for how art can shape political narratives and create avenues for public participation.