Seoul's Nowon-gu district is holding a special exhibition titled "A Different Light, the Same Dawn" at the Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail Gallery inside Hwarangdae Railway Park to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of independence fighter Kim Koo, district mayor Seo Jun-o announced.
The exhibition was conceived to let residents strolling through Hwarangdae Railway Park — a site that retains traces of the old Gyeongchun Line — encounter history and art naturally as part of their leisure time. It reinterprets the lives and spirit of independence fighters through contemporary art.
The title "A Different Light, the Same Dawn" reflects the idea that while generations may differ in how they view and express the independence movement, all are moving toward the same dawn of freedom and independence.
Three artists take part in the exhibition: ink painter Park Sun-cheol, digital artist Son Ji-hun and graffiti artist Yoo Seung-baek. Together they reinterpret independence fighters — including Kim Koo, Ahn Jung-geun, Hong Beom-do, Yun Bong-gil and Kim Jwa-jin — each through a distinct artistic language: ink painting, digital art and graffiti. The exhibition is designed to help audiences across generations reflect on the meaning of the independence movement, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of Kim Koo's birth and the 81st anniversary of Korea's liberation.
Park Sun-cheol uses restrained ink brushwork and negative space to convey the unyielding resolve and spirit of the era. His works illuminate not only prominent figures such as Kim Koo, Lee Bong-chang and Jo Wan-gu, but also the lives of nameless fighters who gave themselves to the cause without recognition.
Son Ji-hun uses digital painting and animation to depict the ordinary moments that independence fighters never had the chance to enjoy — Kim Koo playing music with his mother, Ahn Jung-geun on a camping trip, Yu Gwan-sun reading a book at a cafe — capturing the human side of these figures before they became heroes.
Yoo Seung-baek uses the vivid colors of spray painting to reimagine familiar black-and-white portraits of independence fighters in a contemporary light. By rendering well-known historical figures through the accessible language of graffiti, he aims to make them feel fresh and approachable to younger audiences.
The exhibition runs free of charge at the Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail Gallery through Aug. 19. Hours are 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon to 8 p.m. on weekends; the gallery is closed on Mondays.
Beyond the Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail Gallery at Hwarangdae Railway Park, the district operates a network of exhibition spaces across its neighborhoods: Bulam Mountain Art Fore (at the entrance to Bulam Mountain Healing Town), the Nowon Book Table Gallery (in the lobby of the Nowon-gu district office), Culture Salon 5120 (along the Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail), Culture Space Jeongdam (in front of the Nowon Culture and Arts Center) and Sanggye Arts Yard (on the cultural street near Nowon Station).
Each venue hosts distinctive curated exhibitions and resident-organized shows throughout the year. The district is broadening opportunities for residents to encounter culture and the arts naturally — along nearby walking paths, in parks and in everyday spaces.
"I hope this exhibition, prepared to mark the 150th anniversary of Kim Koo's birth and the 81st anniversary of liberation, serves as an occasion to reflect on the dedication of independence fighters and the value of freedom," district mayor Seo said. "We will continue to expand cultural and arts programs so that residents can encounter history and art naturally in their daily lives."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
