REAL DMZ PROJECT 2012

Press Release

REAL DMZ PROJECT 2012 is an contemporary art project that will be held in Cheorwon, Gangwon-do Province, a border area near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The DMZ is a sort of a military buffer zone where arms are not allowed, which spreads 2 km each to the north and south of the Military Demarcation Line. The site of the 2012 project, Cheorwon in Gangwon-do Province, makes up around a third of the total surface area of the DMZ. It counts the widest and longest strip of the DMZ in its region. It was the scene of one of the hardest fought battles during the Korean War, and is today a place of military, strategic, and symbolic importance.

The name “Real DMZ Project” exposes the paradox of a so-called “demilitarized” zone that is, in fact, one of the most militarized zones in the world, which is in a constant state of confrontation and tension. The name reflects a contemplation of the true meaning of “real DMZ” and the possibility of its realization. However, the day that the DMZ really does become demilitarized in the literal sense of the word, it will lose its raison d’etre. The Real DMZ Project will include works by 11 contemporary artists who offer their viewpoint on the divided reality of the Korean peninsula within today’s context. Most of the participating artists have long been interested in the history of the DMZ and the division of our nation and its consequences, and have already been working on the theme over a period of time. Some will push their existing work further for the 2012 exhibition, while others will produce new works. The project hopes to provide an occasion to reflect on what a “real DMZ” is, how it can be realized, and how we may envision our future.

The 2012 exhibition follows the course of the Cheorwon Security Tour. The Cheorwon Security Tour kicks off at the Iron Triangle Tourist Office that is in charge of the preservation and maintenance of security, old battlefield, and historical sites of the surrounding region. It then moves on to the Second Underground Tunnel that was dug by North Koreans for a surprise attack on the South, which was discovered in the 1970s; the Cheorwon Peace Observatory from which visitors can view the northernmost boundary of the central frontline region; Woljeong-ri Station that was built during the Japanese colonial era and served as a stop for the train that linked Seoul and Wonsan before the nation was divided; and the Labor Party Building that lets visitors get a glimpse of the heyday of Cheorwon before the war.

With the 2012 exhibition as the starting point, we will continue with our various projects that deal with the diverse themes arising from the DMZ in an effort to draw an image that may be completed over time.

Venues: Iron Triangle Tourist Office, The 2nd Underground Tunnel, Cheorwon Peace Observatory, Woljeong-ri Station, Labor Party Building)

Participating Artists: Amandine Faynot, Dirk Fleischmann, Hwang Sejun, Lyang Kim, Sylbee Kim, Jooyoung Lee, François Mazabraud, Simon Morley, Suntag Noh, Part-time Suite, Nicolas Pelzer

For more information, please visit http://www.samuso.org/wp/real-dmz-project-2012/

Artist/s	HWANG Sejun(황세준) KIM Sylbee NOH Suntag(노순택)	KIM Lyang LEE Jooyoung(이주영) (Group) Part-time Suite(파트타임 스위트)
Curator/s	SAMUSO
Organiser/s	SAMUSO

Photo courtesy of the organiser/s