GALLERY 1
Life of Yoon Sang-Won depicted in Ink and Wash Painting by Ha Sung-Heub
Ha Sung-Heub has always felt a great sense of debts towards the victims of Gwangju Democracy Movement, just like the most people in Gwangju. The 19-year-old boy at the time did not want to die then because he wanted to become a painter so fled home promising himself to depict the tragic scenery in his painting in attempt to rationalize his living. He now became a mature middle-class painter and is to keep his promise. In the 12-piece masterpiece <Lightening Rod of History: Yoon Sang-Won>, Yoon Sang-Won’s flame-like life is depicted.
Ha Sungheub
Ha Sungheub(1962~) was born in Gwangju and graduated from the School of Arts at Chonnam National University. Starting with his first solo exhibition in 1994, he has held about 30 exhibitions maintaining his identity of Korean artist based in Gwangju. He has been steadily working on historical paintings and folk art that illuminate the Korean modern history as well as the landscape and portrait paintings that introduce the magnificent scenery of Korea. Although he covers close and familiar themes such as our own history, society, nature, and people, his works are so powerfully engraved in the memory with its amazingly detailed brushstroke and large-scale pieces. After witnessing the tragedy of Gwangju People’s Uprising when in highschool, he took it as his destiny to continually capture the site of history on his art work. In his ink-and-wash painting, Yoon Sang-Won’s life is depicted in various stages such as childhood, Wildfire Night School, spokesperson for the citizens’ militia, at the last fight. The paintings vividly portrays Yoon Sang-Won not only as the spokesperson of the democratic movement as widely known, but also as a revolutionary figure.
Life of Yoon Sang-Won depicted in Ink and Wash Painting by Ha Sung-Heub
Piece 1. Diary
Writing a diary. Love of Grandmother.
200x122cm Think ink coloring on Hanji(Korean handmade paper) 2021
With grandmother’s gift, the red diary, holding to the chest, lie awake at night.
Fields till the whangryong river, swimming on summers and sledging on winters.
On springs, Azalea flower colors mountains, cherry blossom covers up the world.
To the sound of owl, heart gets the blues.
Wild goose on western sky tilting sideways flying side by side.
Should be no disdain, even on chicken.
and then one day, grandmother passes. Crying. Unceasingly.
Piece 2. Adrift
Dreamful puberty. Expectations from poor family. Adrifting.
200x122cm Think ink coloring on Hanji(Korean handmade paper) 202
At school, Jong-An was clearing away the snow under the falling snow.
Studying and being smart is not all. Serving others is truly valuable.
After entering highschool, began to learn taewondo.
Became catholic. Given a cross from God, I vow to bear.
Summer vacation. Wandered with friends and got drunk.
Piece 3. Diplomat
Dream on. Couldn’t look away from the reality.
200x122cm Think ink coloring on Hanji(Korean handmade paper) 2021
Finally got into college on the third try.
got crazy about theater. played “King Oedipus”
Came back to college after military duty. Sopited conscious, awakened.
Is my life worthy enough?
Piece 4. Returning Home
Yes. Let’s go back to Gwangju.
200x122cm Think ink coloring on Hanji(Korean handmade paper) 2021
Declaration of education, out broke. came Bong-Hoon and Seon-Chool.
Realize that I was not living my life. Resigned.
Letter to parents: Undutiful son, resigned from work.
Piece 5. Laborer
Guiding life. Falling downward.
200x122cm Think ink coloring on Hanji(Korean handmade paper) 2021
Working at a factory.
After reading memoirs of Seok Jeong-Nam, Yoo Dong-Woo, heart cried.
Joined Wild Fire Night School.
That winter, Young-Il, Se-Cheon, Seok-Woong, Kwan-Hyun joined the minstreat of history.
Piece 6. Rage
Between the Handouts and Molotov cocktail.
200x122cm Think ink coloring on Hanji(Korean handmade paper) 2021
May 18, leaders have disappeared.
Kim Sang-Yoon in custody, Yoon Han-Bong arrested, Park Kwan-Hyun vanished.
History calls out the new leaders of the uprising.
Sang-Won stepped on the stage of history with Theater Gwang-dae, Song Baek-Hui, Wild Fire Night School,
Piece 7. Mouth of Gwangju
Became the Voice for Citizen Victims. Creating the Fighters’ Bulletin.
200x122cm Think ink coloring on Hanji(Korean handmade paper) 2021People of Gwangju!
Let’s fight till the end.
Let’s gather all together at Guemnam street, Gwangju at Noon of May 20!
Piece 8. Firing
An unheard-of Event. In the blood tearing desperation.
200x122cm Think ink coloring on Hanji(Korean handmade paper) 202
Witness Heaven! Witness this extravasate rage!
This gruesome horror in Gwangju.
The pile of corpses brutally killed and dumped on the bloodstained asphalt roads.
What more would we be afraid of.
Rise up. On your feet. Let’s rise up.
Piece 9. Gwang-Cheon
Determined to Give Life.
200x122cm Think ink coloring on Hanji(Korean handmade paper) 2021
After meeting Jeong Hong-Jun, posed myself.
“00000000000000000000000000”
Piece 10. Spokesperson
The battle to rectify the meaning of uprising.
200x122cm Think ink coloring on Hanji(Korean handmade paper) 2021
“He had curly hair. I saw death in his eyes. He was aware of it, but he was still gentle and tender. To see that eye, gave me a shock”
– Bradly Martin
Piece 11. Death
Somebody must die for someone to live. The last conversation.
200x122cm Think ink coloring on Hanji(Korean handmade paper) 2021
May 27, 2AM. “Go home, highschool students. Be the witness of this history.”
May 27, 4AM. Spokesman of the citizen militia, shot to death.
Moon Jae-Hak and Ahn Jong-Pil, highschool first grader, fall dead wearing school training uniform.
Piece 12. Resurrection
Resurrected in History
200x122cm Think ink coloring on Hanji(Korean handmade paper) 2021
Lady of wild fire, rest in peace.
Sister who lived like the flame, why are you silently laying still.
Sang-Won, spiritually married to Ki-Soon.
We rise together singing <March for You>
Bust Sculpture of Yoon Sang-Won by Kim Kwang-Rye
Kim Kwang-Rye, the Artist of the Year selected by the National Sculptor Association, has documented and testified the historical situations that we must not forget, just like the <Rest in Peace> exhibition that crosses the Gwangju Democratization Movement martyrs and victims of the killing field. The bust sculpture of the Yoon Sang-Won by Kim Kwang-Rye is presented in the exhibition hall #1.
