Photo Exhibit Pays Tribute to Former President Roh
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Local photojournalists are getting together to present works taken during the mourning of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, who jumped to his death last May, in the special photo exhibition ``Tears.''
``I felt I had to leave something. I was drawn to the site regardless of my political preferences. It was then that I realized that it would be now or never to be in the middle of this sort of situation, the country mourning after the tragic death of a former president,'' Shim Hyun-chul, who is participating in the exhibition, told The Korea Times.
A total of 13 photographers will have more than 30 works on display, hoping to bring citizens together and offer another opportunity to mourn through the photos.
``The exhibition may be one that asks the question `what do people live for?' The angles of the photographers that focus on the aftermath of the tragic death of a former president are not violent, but produce an emotional swirl of sadness,'' culture critic Go Young-jik said.
The photos depict various scenes ranging from mourners waiting in line near Roh's hometown to pay respect one last time, to the memorial altars located near Deoksu Palace and in the streets, and young children, hand in hand, paying their respects.
``Anyone who was at the scene would have wanted to pay some kind of respect. Some offered flowers, others wrote on the walls. All I had with me was my camera, so I naturally started to take photos of the people. Every angle was a moment of history,'' Shim added.
He also added that the photojournalists decided to display the works without showing their names, in order to protect the reporters and their publications from claims of political bias.
``I think a good photo is something that makes people react. It may not be an actual physical reaction. When someone sees our photos in the future and remembers what happened ― from the atmosphere, to the emotions, to the actual happenings ― that's also a reaction,'' the photographer added.
The former President Roh leapt to his death from a cliff near his home May 23 under pressure from an investigation into alleged bribery involving his family, aides and himself. Millions of Koreans stopped by memorial altars and some even paid visits to his hometown Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province after his death.
The photo exhibition, ``Tears,'' takes place at the gallery cafe ``Photo Telling'' at Daehangno from July 10 to Aug. 15. For more information, visit www.phototelling.net or call (02) 747-7400.