文 / 侯瀚如
The Gwangju Biennale, an exhibition of international contemporary art, was inaugurated in 1995. The inauguration was meaningful not only for the art community in Korea but for the nation as a whole in light of the city's historical significance. With a population of 1.4 million, Gwangju is the largest city in Cholla province and the sixth largest city in Korea. Home to some of the best-preserved cultural relics in the nation, Gwangju has also been called the City of Art and Culture. However, in recent history, the city has come to be remembered more for a May 1980 civil uprising. Located in one of the most economically underdeveloped regions in the nation, Gwangju has a long history of leading the country in struggles for justice and freedom. In keeping with this tradition, the people of Gwangju rose up in protest following a military coup in 1980. The civil demonstrations were met with a brutal military suppression which resulted in the death of hundreds of unarmed civilians and came to be known as the Gwangju Massacre. The sad event marked the beginning of a struggle which ultimately brought to power the nation's first civilian government in 1993. The decree to inaugurate the Gwangju Biennale in 1995 became a gesture of atonement to assuage the memory of the 1980 tragedy.
From its inauguration the event caught the attention of the international art community as the 1st Gwangju Biennale opened under the theme “Beyond the Borders” with prominent curators from around the world including Kathy Halbreich, Jean de Loisy, Anda Rottenburg, Wan-kyung Sung, Clive Adams, Kwang-su Oh, and Hong-joon Yu serving as commisioners. The 2nd Gwangju Biennale entitled “Unmaping the Earth” opened in 1997 with five sections curated by Harald Szeemann, Bernard Marcadé, Wan-kyung Sung, Kyong Park and Richard Koshalek. The 3rd Gwangju Biennale was held in 2000 to coincide with the year of the new millennium and the 20th anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising under the theme “Man + Space” with the participation of René Block, Thomas Finkelpearl, Yu-yeon Kim, Arata Tani, Hong-hee Kim and Kwang-su Oh as commissioners. The next Biennale, scheduled for March 29 to June 29, 2002 will be the 4th Gwangju Biennale with the theme of “Pause” and a new Co-Curatorial system consists of Wan-kyung Sung, Charles Esche and Hou Hanru.
The 4th Gwangju Biennale
The 4th Gwangju Biennale’s intent is to be heavily involved with the public. We hope to undertake projects outside the exhibition hall, in sites such as the empty lot of closed-down railroad and railway station, and a memorial park that commemorates the spirit of democracy movement in Gwangju, that reflect urban, architectural, social, and historical issues, consolidating various sectors of local communities. Under this orientation, a variety of symposiums, workshops, and other events will be held in parallel with the exhibition, creating forums where artists, experts of art world and the public can participate in a closer mutual understanding.
“Pause is the theme for the 4th Gwangju Biennale. First of all, why “Pause”? “Pause”, is inscribed as ∥sign on VCRs which means temporarily stopped or ceased. We temporarily stop the movie that we were watching for a while to do something else.
From a certain perspective, “Pause” brings a temporary halt on the rapidity of our 20th Century, a century that we ran through without taking a breath. We can stop at least for this time, look behind the past, reverse, or even recreate. Anthropologically, culturally, and politically radical reflection and criticism on history, capitalism, logic of development, concept of progress, western rationalism, colonialism, globalism, new liberalism, technology and engineering, spectacles, rhythm of consumerism, speed, and insanity can be blended into the time. “Pause” itself is neutral and independent, but at the same time maintains its interrelationships with everyday reality” By Wag-kyung Sung
“Pause as connected to a slower, longer term trajectory of cause and effect, or stopping as a prelude to assessing a situation and allowing for a possible change of direction. This would permit the idea, for instance, of contemplation or duration to enter into the debate without being diverted into the cul-de-sac of romanticism and utopian escapism. Such ideas could coexist with more rigorously social or interventive works, providing both ask of the audience that our sense of time and space are shifted out of the usual speed of flow and movement. Further, Pause might apply even more appropriately to the act of conversation, the errs and umms of a spoken voice, rather than the confidence of a written text. To create the ground for privileging conversation over communication, of listening alongside speaking and of the expression of as yet not-fully-articulated ideas within small groups but also within the territory of an international biennale is a task worth attempting.” By Charles Esche
“It's true that this is a time reigned by fear, the fear to be unsuccessful. Failure means exclusion. Therefore, everyone has to respect and follow the established law of success imposed by the hegemonic order. It does not seem too far away from Social Darwinism... shouldn't we take a halt and think about this a minute? It's a negotiation of human destiny... Pause, may allow us space and time for such a negotiation….Ultimately, collaboration, or "corporation" in the real sense of the word, repre- sents a more profound aspect of the change of our society. The "networkisation" of economy and production is causing a radi- cal deconstruction of the established economic and social structure. Accordingly, the division of labour, as well as the role of artist, is seeing a fundamental shift. The role of the individual as an entity of production is now being transformed into a much more unstable, undefined and fluid form of existence. How can art face such a challenge? The response may be found in collaboration. Pause can allow us to ponder deeply on this. A Pause implies a new Action of collaboration.” |
