the 2nd Gwangju Biennale International Curator Course Day10

Yongwoo Lee, CEO of Gwangju Biennale Foundation gave us a lecture at 9am. It was early after a late night the day before. However, it was new to me to listen to him explain how the Gwangju Biennale started. In 1994, when I was a middle school student, Gwangju Biennale just started their mission on this biennial art exhibition in a city of May 18. I didn't even know about Gwangju Biennale then, even though I knew about Pusan International Film Festival which I went to see a movie with my classmate in 1995 after lying to my mom saying that I am going to a library from early in the morning. Well, I wanted to study film then, I failed to go to the film theory major at my school, but art theory a year after I mananged to fail the film theory, therefore, it is not so surprising that I knew about PIFF but no GB then.
     I also have some strong guilty-feeling that I didn't pay attention to people in the southwest, especially about Gwangju. Perhaps any Korean who is from other province might have this kind of guilty-feeling whenever we talk about Gwangju.
     I asked a question to Yongwoo about healing the trauma of Gwangju citizen after the Biennale if they have been cured as he planned through this art and culture city theme which is rooted in the traditional characteristics of Gwangju rather than the May 18. He answered with all the statistics (compared to Venice), which he thinks quite positive, I reckon.
     Now, I am in this 'art scene' (kind of), and have been to Busan Biennale rather than PIFF recently. Life changes so fast without really realizing what is happening to me everyday.
     We finally started our group study. I am in the group 1 with Leanne, Kathleen, and Cole. We have a topic which is from our discussion based on thrown issues for us. The topic for our group is 'Art in the public sphere; the everyday sublime' oh well.... Yes, it is very wide. We have taked a lot until time was up, but still more to discuss and to develop for our presentation. We still have a couple of more chances to discuss about what we have talked before, but now my mind is full of ideas and thoughts.

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