광주시민미술학교의 개설과 5·18 항쟁의 대항기억형성

The Foundation of Gwangju Community Art School as a Counter-Memory Formation of the May 18th Uprising

본 논문은 1980년대 전반 광주시민미술학교의 교육활동이 5·18항쟁의 대항기억형성에 어떤 역할을 수행했는지를 검토한 것이다. 광주시민미술학교는 1983년 광주자유미술인협회에 의해 개설되어 1992년까지 운영된 대중미술교육강좌였다. 광주자유미술인협회는 5·18항쟁의 현장에서 선전활동을 체험한 청년작가들이 중심이 된 민중미술 운동단체였다. 시민미술학교의 교육과정은 판화실습을 중심으로 현장답사와 상호토론, 분임조 활동으로 진행되었다. 특히 수강생의 상호토론과 공동창작의 교육과정은 서로를 수용하고 자신을 발견하게 하는데 크게 기여했다. 시민미술학교에서 시민들은 민중의 현실에 마주서고자 했다. 농민, 노동자, 도시서민, 걸인, 광인, 불구자, 노인 등 민중의 삶을 새겨나갔다. 공동체의 빈한하고 고립된 삶을 외면하지 않음으로써, 시민들은 서로를 수용할 수 있었다. 완성된 판화작품은 일반시민들에게 전시되었다. 관람객들은 판화에 새겨진 이웃의 상처에 공감하고, 그 저변에 스민 5·18항쟁의 상흔을 되새겼다. 그럼으로 시민미술학교는 5·18항쟁이후 말하지 못한 진실을 나누고 소통하는 공간이었다. 또한 5·18항쟁의 좌절감을 치유하고 부채의식을 갚는 자기화해의 장이었다. ‘폭도들의 불온한 광주사태’라는 왜곡된 공식기억이 횡행하던 80년대 전반에서 그것은 가슴 벅찬 경험이었다. 광주시민미술학교의 사례는 곧 전국적으로 확산되었다. 목포부터 서울까지, 노동현장에서 종교, 시민단체, 대학가까지 수많은 시민미술학교가 개설되었다. 공식기억에 맞서 5·18항쟁의 대항기억이 형성되고, 광주를 넘어 전국적으로 확산되어 갔다. 문화적 재현을 통해 구체적인 이미지로 광주가 부활하는 순간, 5·18항쟁은 더 이상 지나간 과거일 수가 없었다. 광주시민미술학교는 5·18항쟁의 대항기억이 형성되는 문화적 자양분이었던 것이다.

The purpose of this paper is to review the role that the educational activities of the Gwangju Community Art School in the early 1980s had in the formation of counter-memory of the May 18th Gwangju Uprising. The Gwangju Community Art School was originally opened by the Gwangju Painters Association for Freedom in 1983 and continued until 1992 as Public Art Education Courses. The Gwangju Painters Association for Freedom (광주자유미술인협회) made a strong start as an artistic group in which young painters who experienced on-site advertisement activity played a leading role in the shocking Gwangju Uprising. The educational courses offered by the Gwangju Community Art School included wood-carving, field surveys, discussions and cooperative group work. It was the positive effect of the cooperative group work and the passionate group discussions that really allowed people to come a better understanding of each other as well as build confidence. The purpose of the various courses at the Gwangju Community Art School was to allow members of the community to express their feelings about events in history(particularly the May 18th Uprising). Therefore, they carved images into wood; images such as farmers, workers, city common people, beggars and madmen. The students at the school realized that they were unable to express life through art without looking deeply into the realities of ordinary life around them. When the wood carvings were put on exhibition, visitors sympathized with their neighbors wounds and together they remembered upon the scar of the May 18th Uprising. The Gwangju Community Art School was a place where the forbidden truth could be spoken about freely. In the early 80s, directly after the event, the government and media labeled Gwangju Citizens as “a mob of rioters” a statement that deeply hurt the people and created a distorted memory of the event. That is why all the painters, trainees and others involved in these programs were so driven and enthusiastic. Finally, The work achieved at the Community Art School was able to help heal the feeling of frustration and disentangle the deep sadness, which were a result of the Uprising. Other models of the Gwangju Community Art School spread immediately all over the country. Before long, a great number of Community Art Schools were founded in labor sport, college clubs, religious groups and various communities. Counter-memory of the Gwangju Uprising was formed against the dominant memory constructed by the military regime, and it provided the momentum for Korean citizens to recognize the truth of the events on the day. It now serves as an example in history in hopes that similar events can be prevented from recurring. Finally, this study showed that the Gwangju Community Art School became a cornerstone in forming the counter-memory among the citizens who experienced the Gwangju Uprising.