This webinar series will explore representations of the "comfort women" survivors in music, photography, and art. How do we fully, truthfully, and sincerely represent the voices and lives of the women in a picture or a song? What goes into the the process of creative representation? How does media and art present additional and alternative perspectives in the wider conversation? We talk to two artists — singer, composer and saxophonist Stephanie Chou, and Korean photographer Ahn Se-Hong, to find out more.
What is Stephanie's work about, and are there ways we can learn more about her musical exploration, "Comfort Girl"?
Stephanie Chou is the writer and performer of "Comfort Girl", a musical exploration in song and story of the lives of Chinese 'comfort women'. Inspired by the true stories told by survivors, it is a tribute to the courage and spirit of these young women, who faced captivity in the war, and often, hostility upon their return home. Stephanie's music highlights this often-overlooked, dark chapter in history that still has echoes today, as survivors continue to fight for justice, and as human trafficking and women's rights remain major global issues.
What does Ahn Se-Hong's photography work centre on?
Ahn Se-Hong's work on the "comfort women" issue began in 1996 after an experience covering the House of Sharing, a home for "comfort women" survivors, while working as a photojournalist for a magazine. Notably, Ahn hosted "comfort women" photo exhibitions in South Korea, New York, Paris and Berlin. In 2012, Ahn's attempts to hold the photo exhibition in Japan was met with backlash from Japanese revisionists, prompting organiser Nikon to cancel the exhibition citing security concerns. Ahn took the case to court, and was instrumental in the success of the lawsuit, prompting Nikon to reverse the cancellation. He also published the book I Am Not A 'Comfort Woman', containing 21 photographs of survivors of Japanese wartime sexual slavery.