이 연구는 광화문의 역사를 정치권력의 재현이
란 관점에서 분석하고자 한다. 조선왕조의 정궁인
경복궁의 정문으로 탄생한 이래 광화문은 해체와
건립의 과정을 수차례에 걸쳐 반복해왔다. 그러한
과정의 핵심에는 정치권력이 자리한다. 광화문에는
다양한 정치권력의 흔적이 새겨져 있다. 왕조권력
은 광화문의 건립과 재건립을 통해 군주의 위엄과
존엄을 드러내고자 했으며, 일제의 식민권력은 광
화문 해체를 통해 조선왕조의 붕괴와 제국주의 권
력의 부상을 가시화하고자 했다. 한국의 군부권력
이 광화문 재건을 통해 경제건설과 민족주의라는
이념을 표상하고자 했다면, 그 이후에 등장한 정치
권력들은 경복궁과 광화문의 복원을 통해 역사적
정통성이라는 새로운 자본을 획득하고 그에 기초
해 권력의 대중심리학적 기반을 강화하고자 했다.
이렇듯 광화문의 역사는 정치권력이 (건축)예술을
통해 자신의 능력과 의지와 비전을 시각적으로 재
현하고자 하는 상징행위의 역사라고 할 수 있다.
The purpose of this article is to analyze the history of Gwanghwamun in a point of view of political power’s representation. Since it has been made as central gate of Gyongbokgung(1st royal palace of Chosun Dynasty), Gwanghwamun has been repeatedly between construction and deconstruction. We can explain this contradictory history with the will of political power. In this edifice hide diverse prints of political power. The royal power of Chosun Dynasty has wanted to represent the king’s authority and dignity with repeated erection of Gwanghwamun, and the colonial power of Japanese imperialism has desired the visualization of the fall of Chosun Dynasty and the rising of imperial power in its deconstruction. In the same logic, the Korean military power has intented to represent the ideology of economic growth and national value with reconstruction of Gwanghwamun, and having wished to possess the new political capital, historical orthodox and to consolidate the people’s political support, the successive political powers have restored Gwanghwamun. All of this story says that the history of Gwanghwamun is the same with the history of the political powers’symbolic action visualizing their will, capacity and vision with mobilization of an public edifice.
The purpose of this article is to analyze the history of Gwanghwamun in a point of view of political power’s representation. Since it has been made as central gate of Gyongbokgung(1st royal palace of Chosun Dynasty), Gwanghwamun has been repeatedly between construction and deconstruction. We can explain this contradictory history with the will of political power. In this edifice hide diverse prints of political power. The royal power of Chosun Dynasty has wanted to represent the king’s authority and dignity with repeated erection of Gwanghwamun, and the colonial power of Japanese imperialism has desired the visualization of the fall of Chosun Dynasty and the rising of imperial power in its deconstruction. In the same logic, the Korean military power has intented to represent the ideology of economic growth and national value with reconstruction of Gwanghwamun, and having wished to possess the new political capital, historical orthodox and to consolidate the people’s political support, the successive political powers have restored Gwanghwamun. All of this story says that the history of Gwanghwamun is the same with the history of the political powers’symbolic action visualizing their will, capacity and vision with mobilization of an public edifice.
