Jewan Goo

Jewan Goo is a South Korean-born, Philadelphia-based photographer. His research-driven practice critically examines and reconstructs unlearned and distorted histories—particularly focusing on Korea during the Japanese colonial period. Rooted in an interest in truth-based alternative histories, his art navigates between historical research, photography, and critical theory, offering a lens into stories often obscured by political regimes or institutional biases.

Drawing inspiration from archives, Goo reimagines historical events through meticulously crafted dioramas and large-format photography. His projects tackle themes such as colonial power, cultural erasure, and the impact of ideological control on personal and collective identities. Through his lens, Goo unpacks the role of architecture, language, and environmental manipulation as tools of imperial dominance. Key works include Japanese Botanists Cataloguing Korean Endemic Species, which critiques the renaming of Korean flora as a colonial act of erasure, and The Oath of Imperial Subjects (1937), exploring how Japan’s colonial regime reshaped Korean identity through ideological conditioning and linguistic imperialism.

His ongoing project investigates the atrocities of Unit 731, shedding light on often-overlooked narratives of Korean, Manchurian, and Chinese victims while examining the complicity of global powers. Goo’s work focuses on transforming evidence that exists only as text or documents into compelling visual representations. He bridges the gap between abstract historical accounts and tangible visual narratives by reinterpreting these written records through photographic imagery. This approach highlights the limitations of traditional archival materials and their accessibility in modern education systems.

Jewan Goo, Nomenclature 1, 2022. Archival pigment print of archival pigment print of a collage installation photograph — 64 x 89.5 in. Courtesy the artist.

Jewan Goo, The Changgyeongwon Greenhouse 1909, 2023. Archival pigment print of a diorama photograph created from collages of colonial-era photographs — 64 x 85 in. Courtesy the artist.

Jewan Goo, Hanami 1912, 2023. Archival pigment print of a diorama photograph created from collages of colonial-era photographs — 64 x 85 in. Courtesy the artist.

Jewan Goo, Nomenclature 2, 2022. Archival pigment print of an installation — 64 x 89.5 in. Courtesy the artist.

Jewan Goo, Kōkoku shinmin no seishi (The Oath of Imperial Subjects) 1937-1, 2024. Archival pigment print of a diorama photograph — 64 x 89.5 in. Courtesy the artist.

Jewan Goo, The Japanese Botanists Cataloging Korean Endemic 1, 2024. Archival pigment print of a diorama photograph — 64 x 89.5 in. Courtesy the artist.

Jewan Goo, Kōkoku shinmin no seishi (The Oath of Imperial Subjects) 1937-2, 2024. Archival pigment print of a diorama photograph — 44 x 55 in. Courtesy the artist.

 

 

Goo critiques how historical education often perpetuates state-sanctioned narratives, leaving gaps that obscure marginalized perspectives. His dioramas and photographs challenge these narratives, encouraging viewers to rethink how history is constructed, taught, and remembered. Goo employs dioramas as a critical storytelling device, reconstructing historically charged spaces such as botanical greenhouses, architectural hybrids, and colonial education systems. By photographing these miniature worlds with precision, he blurs the boundaries between reality and artifice, compelling viewers to question the constructed nature of historical narratives.

Goo holds an MFA from the University of Pennsylvania, the United States of America. His work has been exhibited internationally, with recent shows at EFA Project Space in Manhattan and a residency at the TILT Institute for the Contemporary Image. Goo is also a recent participant in the prestigious Yaddo residency. His practice is heavily informed by theoretical perspectives, with influences such as Ariella Azoulay’s critique of imperialism shaping his approach to archival and historical reconstruction. Through his projects, Goo invites audiences to confront uncomfortable truths while envisioning histories that center marginalized voices. His art is not just a reflection on the past but an active effort to reframe how histories are learned, remembered, and shared.

For more information, please consult Jewan Goo’s website here.

Last Updated on December 16, 2024