World expositions emerged in tandem with the rise of nation-states, capitalism, and imperialism in t
World expositions emerged in tandem with the rise of nation-states, capitalism, and imperialism in the last half of 19th century Europe. In their heyday they rendered the world totally visible and knowable to the masses. By the end of the 19th century, expositions had spread to colonies as a means to propagate colonialism as fundamental to their progress. In the pictures above from the 1915 Korean Industrial Exposition, held in Seoul shows Japanese transformation of Korean society from a “backwards” and “traditional” society into a “civilized” and “enlightened” society. The spectacle of colonial modernity provided a framework for the colonized to redefine their identity and engage in the idea of a Korean nation which belonged neither to the past Choson Monarchy nor entirely to the Japanese colonial state. -- source link
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