GALLERY5

Unfinished Song: the Asia photo exhibition by Hkun Lat and Joo Yong-Seong

The ‘March for You’, a song originated from Yoon Sang-Won, has gone beyond Gwangju and is still being sung today in the asian countries that is burning with the democratization fever. The ‘March for You’ echoes between the photos capturing the ‘Hong Kong Democratization Struggle’ by the documentary photographer from Korea Joo Yong-Seong, and the photos capturing the ‘Myanmar Anti-Coiup Detat Protest“ taken by the documentary phonographer from Myanmar Hkun Lat.

Hkun Lat

Hkun Lat(1996~) is a documentary photographer from Myanmar. He is working on a personal project, as well as on news organizations like Frontier Myanmar magazine and Getty Images. He first became interested in photography at the 2011 Kachin conflict, which is the civil war taken place in the northern part of Myanmar. Through the photography of the war, news agencies of myanmar began to notice him, thereby able him to began a career as freelance photographer. His personal project focuses on unsolved and ongoing issues in Myanmar including civil war, natural resources, environmental concerns, drugs, and opium out-rooting movement. It is his goal to publicize the issue and make people witness the problems through his work. His award include Yangon Photography Festival Award, Ian Paris Scholarship in 2019, Human Rights Press Awards in 2020, Excellence at SOPA 2020, and World Press Photo 2021.

The Spring Revolution

On February 1, 2021, Myanmar military staged a coup d’était. The military junta detained civilian government leaders including the President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. Nationwide protests began as the Spring Revolution. However, after a series of massive armed attacks by the Myanmar military targeting civilians and destroying livelihoods of the people, the revolution transformed. Many protests still continue daily but most youths joined the armed revolution together with ethnic armed organizations.
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) on October 7, 2021, over 1159 civilians were killed by the military regime troops and 7119 people were arbitrarily detained.
People’s will and determinations to eradicate military dictatorship once and for all inspired many aspects of this revolution.
“No more negotiation or discussion with the military”.
The fight for federal democracy is vowed to continue until federal demoncrazy prevails in Myanmar. As history taught the people in Myanmar, the perpetrators (Myanmar military junta) that are committing war crimes and crimes against humanity have no intention to uphold peace, freedom and democracy for the people.

Joo Yong-Seong

Focuses on the scenery and social issues that was left behind. Especially interested in the political and social death when capturing in the photography. Held solo exhibition <<Lamentation>>(2018) and participated in numerous group exhibitions.

Disorientation

Launched originally by the citizens opposing the extradition of criminals, 2019 pro-democracy demonstration escalated into the largest demonstration after the Umbrella Revolution in 2014. People requested the complete guarantee of one country two systems, direct elect system for Hong Kong Chief Executive, and improvement of the human rights situation in Hong Kong. Despite the hard line attitude of the Chinese government and violent suppression of the Hong Kong administration, citizens firmly stood against the coercive control. It does feature different nature and contents with the Gwangju Democratization Movement, it is clear that major impact was put on the citizens whose nation yet to achieve complete democracy. The song of ‘March for You’ resonated, posters demanding for democracy written in Korean was held up, and movie capturing the process of democratization in Korea was played. Up to this day, the spirit and experience of Gwangju still encourages and supplies strength to those who continues the fight.