3rd Visual Voices exhibition 'Annyeong' focuses on world peace, well-being
A participant paints during a Visual Voices workshop, Feb. 27. Courtesy of Visual Voices
By Bereket Alemayehu
The annual Visual Voices roving exhibition is back for its third year, presenting its poster project and exhibition as a solidarity activity, spreading peace through art.
This year's exhibition includes civic participation workshops, dance and sound performances, poetry readings and special lectures by Mohammad Naiem Mohammadi, an Afghan refugee in Korea.
Citizens, artists, curators and activists come together to create posters that confront contemporary conflict and violence through art. The exhibition, named "Annyeong" features work by Korean and international artists, refugees, activists and community members who use visual storytelling to highlight issues that are often marginalized or difficult to verbalize to express messages of peace, empathy and human rights.
Organizers highlighted that the word "annyeong" is the most common greeting in Korea.
"We say it both when we meet and when we part ways. It's a natural expression at the beginning and end of each day, at the opening and closing of relationships," they said. "However, when broken down into Chinese characters, the word signifies a state of being free from worry or trouble, a place of complete safety. We focused on the duality of this word — a light and familiar word, yet simultaneously a moment of deepest longing."
This year’s exhibition begins with the wish that all beings around the world may be at peace in their own respective places. Artists and other participants interpret "annyeong" as greetings, questions and prayers, carefully inviting dialogue about what spiritual peace means and what we can do for each other's well-being.
Participants paint during a Visual Voices workshop, Feb. 27. Courtesy of Visual Voices
Jo Han-gyeol, a participating artist and co-curator of the exhibition, says he joined Visual Voices last year because it was different from other artistic activities he has participated in.
“This is because each citizen, organization and institution has been gathering their hearts and continuing this activity, even though it is not currently selected for a special support project," he told The Korea Times. "This is all the more so because I know that it is really difficult to gather each person's time and effort in the present world situation, when hatred and division are intensifying. ... From that point of view, it was a really precious time for me to be able to meet and communicate with people in various places and daily lives while participating as an artist in the Visual Voices activity.”
When asked about the collective power of art to show solidarity with marginalized people, he says it made him think about how art can promote coexistence, as well as creating a time for personal reflection.
“This year, I will think hard about how to approach the existing life and story and how to reveal it to have a conversation together and actively practice and move," he said. "I hope that those who are in solidarity, those who support and those who will directly or indirectly participate in this activity will have a positive impact on others.”
A poster for this year's Visual Voices exhibition / Courtesy of Visual Voices
This year's Visual Voices project kicked off on Jan. 14 at Booksdot5 (Jjeomo) Bookstore in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. The exhibition is scheduled to travel to different venues around Korea, bringing art to public and community spaces. Additional workshops are planned to give more participants a chance to create posters together before the exhibition tour begins.
Visual Voices travels first to Loft Ground in downtown Seoul this Sunday, and will stay open there until March 29.
It will then begin its journey around Korea, including Hongseong, South Chungcheong Province, and Jeonju and Wanju in North Jeolla Province.
Visit @loft_ground22 on Instagram for more information.
Posters for last year's Visual Voices exhibition spell out the word "peace." Courtesy of Visual Voices
Bereket Alemayehu is an Ethiopian photo artist, social activist and writer based in Seoul. He’s also the co-founder of Hanokers, a refugee-led social initiative, and a freelance contributor for Pressenza Press Agency.