Dispatch Art ( “파견 미술가” )

The Dispatch Art collective is a group of artists committed to effecting social change through actions that transcend mere social commentary. They chose this name because the term “dispatch” suggested the absolute precarity of labor conditions, and their mission was to provide support for struggles against the forces of neoliberal capitalism, which undermines the very foundation of security in life. The group takes influence from both the radical minjung (peoples’) art movement of the 1980s, which was focused on social change, and the community-based public art and the participatory protest culture of the 2000s.

Dispatch art does not have a command system where someone dispatches artists. It sends itself to the site of a social disaster or a site where cultural and artistic practices are needed, or encourages participation through trust with fellow artists who participate together. As such, the Dispatch Art collective has fluid membership which includes members whose expertise spans various art fields, prioritizes a collaborative relationship with on-site participants, and employs a diverse range of art mediums and protest tactics—including exhibiting images, banners, and installations, orchestrating performances and events, and occupying sites—allowing them to adapt to the resources and needs of each protest site.