FRAMING THE PAST AND FUTURE NARRATIVES: Korean Photography Archives, 1920s-1960s

초록

This essay examines the formation, transformation, and institutionalization of Korean photography from the 1920s to the 1960s, situating photographic practices within broader political, ideological, and archival contexts. Rather than approaching photographs as neutral evidence, the study interprets them as historically situated artifacts shaped by regimes of visibility, censorship, and ideological contestation. By analyzing the archival infrastructures surrounding these images, it interrogates the politics of selection, omission, and preservation that continue to structure the visual history of modern Korea. The first section traces the visual and institutional regimes under Japanese colonial rule, post-liberation ideological divisions, and the emergence of photographic realism in the wake of war and national reconstruction. The second section explores how photographic archives-especially those related to the colonial period and the Korean War-have been curated and interpreted to reinforce dominant historical narratives, often at the expense of marginalized perspectives. The final section addresses the limitations of private archives and considers the promise and challenges of new public initiatives such as the Seoul Museum of Photography. Through critical engagement with archival theory, visual historiography, and postcolonial critique, the essay reframes the photographic archive as a contested site of memory, ideology, and historical possibility. Ultimately, this study argues that photography in modern Korea should be understood not only as a medium through which social meaning and historical legitimacy are produced, but also as a site where historical memory is selectively constructed and archived. © 2026 selection and editorial matter, Terence HENG and OH Soon-Hwa individual chapters, the contributors.